Top Kremlin official Kiriyenko appointed as new curator of Donbass cooperation

First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Administration Sergey Kiriyenko has been appointed as the new curator of relations with the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk “people’s republics” (“LPR” and “DPR”), the RBC daily reports.

The newspaper’s sources suggest that the Kremlin’s domestic policy department will now deal with issues of cooperation with the self-proclaimed Donbass republics. Earlier, the Kremlin’s cross-border cooperation department, led by Dmitry Kozak, curated the relations with “LPR” and “DPR”.

Last week, Kiriyenko visited Donetsk to meet with the leaders of the self-proclaimed republics. According to RBC, this was an “introductory” visit, during which contacts with local officials were established.

RBC sources added that Kiriyenko’s appointment could mean that Russia might follow a new policy of cooperation with the republics and create a united domestic policy zone. They do not rule out that the republics could also be incorporated into Russia.

In the days leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia does not plan to incorporate the self-proclaimed republics. “We are not discussing this,” Putin said during the February 21 session of the Russian Security Council in response to Russian spy chief Sergei Naryshkin, who misspoke and said that he supports the incorporation of “DPR” and “LPR” into Russia. On the outcome of this session, Russia recognized the independence of the Donbass republics.