Cooperation is a major point in the rights about local self-administration in the Russian Federation. To better understand how cities implement this aspect of the law, light must be shed on their specific legal status as entities recognized by federal and regional legislation. Cities in the Irkutsk Region are used as examples for analyzing the legal grounds for intermunicipal cooperation and its effectiveness. The status of municipal associations in this region, of the interregional association of Siberian and Far Eastern cities, and of associations at the federal level are also examined. Foreign experiences - in particular the German one - have been used to develop intermunicipal relations in Russia, and recommendations have been made with the aim to improve both legislation and the effectiveness of cooperation between cities.