Western Oblast

Western Oblast was an oblast (a first-level administrative and municipal unit) of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1929 to 1937. Its seat was in the city of Smolensk. The oblast was located in the west of European Russia, and its territory is currently divided between Bryansk, Kaluga, Pskov, Smolensk, and Tver Oblasts. By the 1937 All-Union Census, the population of the oblast was 4,693,495 persons. It was abolished on 27 September 1937. History The oblast was established on 1 October 1929 by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The territory of the oblast was formed from Smolensk and Bryansk Governorates, parts of Moscow, Kaluga, and Tver Governorates, as well as Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. The oblast was subdivided into eight administrative districts (okrugs), Bryansk Okrug (with the seat located in Bryansk); Klintsy Okrug (Klintsy); Roslavl Okrug (Roslavl); Rzhev Okrug (Rzhev); Smolensk Okrug (Smolensk); Sukhinichi Okrug (Sukhinichi); Velikiye Luki Okrug (Velikiye Luki); Vyazma Okrug (Vyazma). Before the oblast was established, the constituent governorates used the old division inherited from the Russian Empire (uyezds).