Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Nikolai Udovichenko as his special representative for the delimitation and demarcation of Russia’s state border with neighboring CIS member states, according to a decree published on the official legal information website, RIA Novosti reports.

“Appoint Nikolai Udovichenko, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as the special representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the delimitation and demarcation of the state border of the Russian Federation with neighboring CIS member states, also assigning him responsibilities for the delimitation and demarcation of Russia’s border with the Republic of Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Republic of South Ossetia,” the decree states.

The decree takes effect from the date of its signing — October 22.