Russia has a complicated patchwork of regional and local governments, including 89 federal subjects of constituencies. Those 89 units are not of equal status. Russia is divided into 6 krais, 49 oblasts, 1 autonomous oblast, 10 autonomous okrugs, and two independent cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg). There are also 21 autonomous republics where non-Russian minorities predominate (or once predominated). The Chechen republic of Ichkeria, is, de facto, a separate state, although not recognized as such by the federal authorities.

For all but the 21 autonomous republics, President Yeltsin issued decrees reorganizing the system of local government in October 1993. Each unit has an elected legislature. Most of these are unicameral, though two (Magadan Oblast and Altai Krai) opted for bicameral ones. In late 1996 and early 1997, regional popular elections of governors took place, replacing the system of appointments by the president. By contrast, the Russian president never appointed the heads of the 21 autonomous republics. These (usually called presidents) were selected in whatever manner is prescribed by their individual constitutions. The regional and republic executive and legislative heads were ex officio members of the Russian Federal Assembly's upper chamber, the Federation Council, where they endeavor to guard local power against encroachment from Moscow.

When Putin came to power, he felt it necessary to bring the regional leaders under a more central control, reversing bottom-to-top relations from the Yeltsin-era. In 2000, Putin set out to correct regional relations by grouping the administrative units of Russia into seven regional administrative districts: Northwest, Central, Volga, North Caucasus, Ural, Siberia, and Far East. A presidential representative is appointed to each. Putin appointed seven presidential representatives to coordinate the activities of federal organs. In February 2001, the law went into effect that allowed the president to dismiss governors. Furthermore, after the September 2004 Beslan School tragedy, Putin passed a bill to abolish popular elections for Russia's regional governors and to elect all State Duma deputies according to a proportional party system, abolishing single-mandate districts.