00:00After Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000, presidential decree number 849 was signed
00:06regarding the plenipotentiary representative of the president of the Russian Federation
00:10in the federal district. This document divided the country's territory into seven large federal
00:16districts, in each of which a system of presidential overseers, plenipotentiary
00:21representatives, and their subordinate offices were established. Putin's reform enlarged the
00:26regions and created a parallel chain of control. The Kremlin sought to remove the prosecutor's
00:31office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, tax authorities, and other federal agencies from
00:35the informal influence of governors and to coordinate them at the super-regional level.
00:39The experience of the Chechen wars was especially important. They demonstrated the lack of coordination
00:45between the army, internal troops, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other security agencies.
00:51Large territorial units made it possible to gather information, coordinate security forces,
00:55and transmit decisions to the center.
