The State Council is the advisory body under the head of the state, which assists the President to provide coordinated functioning and interaction of authorities.

The President of the Russian Federation (Vladimir Putin) is the Chairman of the State Council.
The duties of the Secretary of the State Council were entrusted by the President to the Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Russia A.S. Abramov. The activity of the State Council is provided and supervised by the Main Territorial Board of the President.

The acting State Council is the third in the history of Russia. It was formed by the President V. Putin on September, 1, 2000.

The president formed the State Council with a view of preservation and use of potential of the supreme officials of subjects of the Russian Federation, taking into account wishes and offers of the members of the Council of Federation and the deputies of the State Duma.

The State Council consists of the heads of the subjects of Federation. Under the decision of the President other persons may as well be included into the structure of the Council.

The State Council considers questions of utmost national importance. They concern the state organization, the course of economic and social reforms, public problems. The State Council sessions are held four times a year, though, with no strict periodicity. Each meeting is devoted to one important question. The Presidium of the Council examines the theme of a coming session on the eve of the latter. Certain questions are examined by the Presidium together with the Security Council and other special deliberative bodies under the President.