<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Russian President Putin said Wednesday that he will give “additional powers” to the local leaders of all Russian regions.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Senior officials of the subjects of the Russian Federation should pay the necessary attention to the implementation of measures designed to ensure the safety of people, the protection and anti-terrorist protection of critical facilities, maintaining public order, increasing the stability of the economy, industry and expanding the production of means necessary for a special military operation,” Putin said.</div><div><br></div><div>This comes after Putin announced on Wednesday that he has signed a law introducing martial law in four Ukrainian regions the Kremlin has sought to annex, in violation of international law. The regions — Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk — are not under full Russian control. Western nations have decried the annexations and vowed not to recognize them as Russian territory.</div><div><br></div><div>“To coordinate the work of the heads of regions will receive the authority to create the appropriate headquarters. I instruct the government, the Ministry of Defense and other departments to provide them with all necessary assistance,” Putin added.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin also said that he has instructed the government to establish a special council to coordinate the changes, reports Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“The council will include vice-premiers, representatives of law enforcement agencies, the socio-economic bloc of the government, the presidential administration, and the State Council, which will ensure close interaction with the regions,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>