The authority of the highest official of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation to ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population (experience of the COVID-19 pandemic)

Introduction: the author conducts the analysis of the authority of the highest official of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation with respect to the protection of the population’s well being and the practice of implementation during the pandemic with a view to aligning tasks of effective countering emergency situations of epidemiological nature. Materials and Methods: the author used legal instruments and scientific works, as well as legal positions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. Reliability of the obtained results has confirmed by the use of general scientific and special legal methods of research, such as legal and comparative legal methods. Results: the author studied legal frameworks and the use of authority of the highest official of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation with respect to the protection of the population’s well being during the pandemic COVID-19. The author established chronology of special legal regimes. The author studied the usage of the authorities beyond the limits established by federal law. Discussion and Conclusions: during the pandemic, the highest-ranking official of a subject of the Russian Federation was endowed with sufficient authority to effectively respond to emergencies in ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population. Two groups of authorities were distinguished: general, applicable within the ordinary legal regime and extraordinary, which were used only when special legal regimes were introduced in the prescribed way. It was suggested that the right to regulate in advance, admitted for the highest-ranking official of a subject of the Russian Federation by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, can be used in prospect.