Moscow is planning to create a new federal district, which will include the Crimean peninsula, as well as the annexed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Vedomosti reports citing sources in the Federal Council and Crimean government.

• The sham referendums in the Donbas and two occupied Ukrainian regions will draw to a close today. Russia's TASS news agency reported that turnout exceeded 50% in all four areas, which means Moscow will consider the results valid.
• Vedomosti reports that former Roskosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin will be tapped to become President Putin's envoy to the enlarged Crimean federal district. Rogozin had previously served as Deputy Prime Minister, ambassador to NATO and head of Roskosmos, which he left in July.