Source: TASS

The administration of the part of the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops has announced that Melitopol will be considered the region's capital.

The corresponding decree, signed by Yevgeny Balitsky, who heads the occupation administration, was issued on March 3. By the same decree, Berdyansk and Energodar received the status of cities of regional significance.

On the territory of the region, the TASS document quotes, 13 districts have been formed. Their borders, as well as the borders of the cities of Berdyansk and Energodar, "are determined by the boundaries of the administrative zoning of the Ukrainian SSR as of September 16, 1991."

In addition, one of the appendices of the decree defines the new boundaries of Melitopol - they are expanded to the coast of the Sea of ​ Azov, and several settlements are included in the city.

Russian troops occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region in a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The largest city and administrative center of the Zaporizhzhia region - Zaporizhzhia - was not captured.

In September, the Russian authorities announced the annexation of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian troops, including parts of the Zaporizhzhia region. Meduza wrote about how they were preparing for the “referendum”, based on which part of the Zaporizhzhia region was announced to be “incorporated into Russia”.