From January 1, 2027, on the left bank of Kherson region the occupiers plan to introduce the so-called institute of starostas and settlement heads.
This was reported on the website of the occupation administration of Kherson Oblast.
Under Russian legislation, the institute of starostas operates in small settlements that do not have their own local self-government bodies.
Starostas are appointed or «elected» to represent the settlement before the local administration – in practice they perform the role of junior officials subordinate to the head of the municipality. Their powers include organizing everyday issues, receiving residents’ appeals, participating in events, and communicating with higher authorities.
In the occupied territories Russia has already applied “the institute of starostas” in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
Such appointees serve as intermediaries between the population and the collaborationist administration.
Recall, at the end of October it became known that the occupation administration of Kherson Oblast placed so-called curators over the local self-government bodies in illegally created local municipalities in the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region.