The Pskov region is located in the north-west of Russia and is one of
those regions where the Russian tradition has undergone a significant
foreign influence, while maintaining its absolute originality and
uniqueness. In the Pskov region, graceful white-stone churches side by
side with gray fortresses made of rough limestone, stone crosses stand
in the fields, and houses, like the Baltic states, are made of boulders.
There is little industry here, many rivers and lakes, and one of the
iconic places of Pushkin studies is also located in the Pskov region.
Despite the proximity to Latvia, Estonia and Belarus, in
socio-economic terms, the Pskov region is the most underdeveloped among
all regions of Russia, and the most backward region of Central Russia.
There is practically no industry here, and agriculture is poorly
developed.
In the north, the region borders on the Leningrad
region, in the northeast - on Novgorod, in the east - on Tver, in the
southeast - on Smolensk, in the south - on Belarus, in the west - on
Latvia, in the northwest - on Estonia. The Pskov region is divided into
24 districts, but there are only 14 cities here, and not all of them are
of interest to the traveler.
Pskov - the administrative center of the
region, the capital of one of the oldest Russian state formations - the
Pskov Republic
Gdov - a small town, in pre-Peter
times, an important military and commercial center on the western border
of Russian lands
Izborsk
Izborsk Castle
Ostrov
Pechory
Porkhov - a town 1.5 hours drive east of Pskov. A small
and rather ruined, but even more attractive medieval fortress, standing
on the banks of the quiet Shelon River, has been preserved here. Inside
the fortress there is a cozy garden and there is a lonely medieval
church, and another, moreover, an even older church is located on the
river bank itself opposite the old settlement. East of the city, an
unfinished memorial on the site of the German concentration camp
Dulag-100.
Sebezh
Velikiye Luki - the second
largest city in the region, once the center of the Velikie Luki region,
the territory of which is now part of the Pskov region
Pushkinskie Gory
The main thing in the Pskov region is medieval monuments:
there are no such number of them anywhere else in Russia. In
the northwest, fortresses completely atypical for Rus' were
built, and three of them have survived in the Pskov region:
Izborsk, Porkhov and Pskov itself with several rows of
fortifications covering a good half of the modern city. The
peculiarity of the Pskov fortresses is that they are built
of rough gray stone, and therefore rather clumsy, resembling
a simplified version of the German castles of the northern
Baltic. At the same time, they look more comfortable and
somehow more intimate than castles, not to mention the
strict and ceremonial Russian Kremlins.
If there are
only three fortresses in the Pskov region, then there are
several dozen medieval churches, almost all in Pskov and its
immediate environs. Nevertheless, in terms of the number of
pre-Mongolian monuments, Pskov will not be able to compete
with either Novgorod or the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. From the
XII-XIII centuries. only two churches survived: the very
Novgorodian in spirit Church of John the Baptist (1243) and
the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery
(end of the 12th century), where, however, there are the
best-preserved frescoes of that period. But the monuments of
the XIV-XVI centuries. dozens in Pskov and its environs.
During this period, a special Pskov architectural style was
formed (see Pskov), which in many respects has something in
common with Novgorod, but does not repeat it. Pskov churches
are more intimate, fancifully asymmetrical and often
decorated with small belfries. In addition to Pskov itself,
similar structures have been preserved in many surrounding
cities and villages, although there were more often
restructurings that deprived these temples of their original
appearance. Of the surroundings of Pskov, the most
interesting is the village of Vybuty, where, according to
legend, Princess Olga was born, and several centuries later,
a classic Pskov church was erected on the very bank of the
Velikaya River: for Pskov architecture, this is the same as
the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl for Vladimir.
Speaking of medieval Pskov architecture, one cannot fail to
mention the Nativity Church in Porkhov. This utterly archaic
building is a one-of-a-kind attempt to build Russian
churches, borrowing the European style.
By the end of
the 16th century, the Pskov style reached its peak and began
to get lost in the new trends coming from Moscow. The
Pskov-Pechora Monastery, the famous Orthodox monastery, is
no longer Pskovian in spirit, which, however, does not
reduce the interest in it on the part of numerous pilgrims.
From the XVI-XVII centuries. in Pskov, more than a dozen
stone chambers have been preserved: there are not so many of
them, again, anywhere outside of Moscow and Gorokhovets.
Rough, massive, but at the same time not at all ordinary
chambers became the last rise of Pskov architecture, which
fell into deep decline by the 18th century after the border
of Russia moved to the west, and Pskov lost its former
significance.
Of course, in the Pskov region there
are several county towns with historical buildings from the
time of the Russian Empire - Ostrov, Opochka, Nevel, but if
you really go there, then not for pre-revolutionary
mansions, but for special artifacts, which are especially
numerous in Ostrov: the majestic chain bridges of the middle
of the XIX century or a well-preserved post station.
Beautiful estates in the Pskov region were also almost never
built, since it is far from St. Petersburg and at the same
time the Baltic states are not yet there. But what is
interesting about the Pskov region is the strange
interweaving of national cultures. Several western regions
in the interwar period belonged to independent Latvia and
Estonia, which left a visible mark on urban architecture.
The most interesting are Pechory, where there are more
Estonian buildings than Russian ones. The Latvian influence
is noticeable in Pytalovo, but this is a smaller and very
difficult city in terms of transport. In Ostrov there is a
former Lutheran church, and in Opochka the church was
completely built of wood - a completely unique case. The
city of Sebezh, located in the south of the Pskov region,
was neither part of Estonia nor Latvia, but until the 18th
century it belonged to Lithuania and the Commonwealth: here
are the oldest churches in Russia, and the general layout of
the city is very unusual for Russia.
However, the
main attraction of the Pskov region is not at all
architectural, but historical and cultural. In the village
of Mikhailovsky there was a family estate of A.S. Pushkin,
turned into a museum-reserve. This is a rather strange
place, not devoid of pathos and, at the same time, comfort.
Neither the manor buildings nor the interior from the time
of Pushkin, of course, have been preserved, but the reserve
recreates the atmosphere well, wooden houses, beautiful
landscape parks, and the nature itself in the vicinity of
the Pushkin Mountains is wonderful: hills, rivers, lakes,
forests and copses - here it's nice to come for a walk
completely independent of Pushkin's heritage. Another
beautiful place is the Izborsko-Malskaya valley, in
particular, the Truvorovo settlement near Izborsk: one of
those places where the Russian land came from. The beautiful
lake district begins near Sebezh, on the border with
Belarus, but the eastern shores of the Pskov and Peipsi
lakes are very swampy, declared a border zone and, contrary
to expectations, will not be the best place for outdoor
recreation: the Estonian coast is much more interesting and
has more developed infrastructure.
How to get there
By plane
The only operating airport is located
in Pskov. There are flights to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but this is
the most typical small aircraft that can be covered at any moment. The
nearest major airports are the same Moscow and St. Petersburg. In
principle, Riga and Tallinn are also suitable, although you have to
cross the border, and you may need a visa.
By train
Long-distance trains Moscow-Pskov run 1-2 times a day. Trains run from
Moscow to Velikie Luki with the same regularity. From St. Petersburg,
trains of the Belarusian and Ukrainian directions pass by rail to
Vitebsk through the Novosokolniki and Dno junction stations, however,
these places are deaf, of little interest to the traveler, and getting
out of there to more inhabited regions is a separate difficult task.
There is no direct railway from Novgorod to the Pskov region. You
can take a bus to Luga or Staraya Russa and transfer to the Pskov train
there, but this is long and inconvenient.
From Belarus (Polotsk,
Vitebsk) the same St. Petersburg trains are at your service. There is no
suburban communication with the Baltic States. In Estonia, you can take
a suburban train to the very border, and then cross the border on foot,
once in Pechory. From the side of Latvia there is a long-distance train
Riga-Moscow (via Sebezh, Velikie Luki). Suburban diesels from Riga go to
the town of Zilupe, which is 5 km from the Russian border, but then you
have to catch a ride, since there is no public transport in these parts.
By bus
There are buses from St. Petersburg to Pskov and many
cities in the region, passing buses to Smolensk, Vitebsk, Polotsk are
also suitable for you. On the Moscow side, long-distance bus service is
less developed, although there is a daily Moscow-Pskov bus (via Velikie
Luki) and occasional service to other cities in the Pskov region.
However, all these buses obviously lose in terms of comfort to the Pskov
night train.
From Novgorod, buses run 2-3 times a day to Pskov
and another one to Porkhov.
Traveling to the Baltic States by bus
is easier and usually cheaper than by train. Two daily buses run from
Pskov to Estonia, and there is also a commuter service across the
border. You can leave Pskov for Riga a couple of times a day. In the
Pskov-Pechora region there is also a suburban connection with Latvia,
but crossing the border in the south of the region, near Sebezh, is akin
to a gamble: there is only one bus to Rezekne, and it runs twice a week.
All routes are operated by large international (Ecolines) or local
Baltic companies. At bus stations, information about these routes is
minimal, they may not be available in the official timetable, and
tickets are not always sold.
By car
The M20 highway from St.
Petersburg passes through Pskov itself and many cities in the Pskov
region, where it branches into several different roads:
А212/Е77 to
Riga
A116 to Daugavpils and Vilnius
A117 to Polotsk via Sebezh
M20 itself further to Vitebsk
Also in the south of the Pskov
region is the route M9 Moscow-Riga. Its pavement quality traditionally
has a bad reputation and is often referred to as a tank track, but in
2013-2014 it was almost brought back to normal.
By train
For movement within the Pskov region, railways are
practically useless. As of February 2015, suburban communication
remained only on the Pskov-Porkhov-Dno and Pskov-Luga sections.
Long-distance trains are expensive for short distances and run at
completely inopportune times. There is a relatively large flow of trains
on the Dno-Novosokolniki line, but, by and large, there is nothing to do
there.
By bus
Almost all intra-regional routes are served by
Pskovavtotrans LLC. On the site, the current schedule and information on
availability, you can buy a ticket with a 10% surcharge. Cash registers
are connected to the same system that is visible on the website. You can
buy a ticket in advance from any stop, but a couple of hours before the
bus departs from the final destination, the sale stops, and then the
ticket can only be bought "on arrival", which creates a traditional
crush at the box office.
Pskovavtotrans routes can be operated by
both large buses and minibuses. In any case, if you see at least some
semblance of a ticket office at the bus stop, you need to take a ticket
there: drivers do not sell tickets. The system is archaic to the
extreme. Its cornerstone is the female controllers who check the tickets
of all passengers without exception at every major stop. Drivers usually
refuse to stop on demand.
There are few private routes in the
Pskov region. Perhaps the only independent organization is LLC "Niva" in
Pechory, they also serve several suburban routes to Estonia.
The
population of the Pskov region is small, so there are few buses. The
most frequent communication is on the Pskov-Pechora and Pskov-Ostrov
sections, but the roads diverge beyond the Island, so buses run to
Opochka and Pushkinskiye Gory at intervals of 2 hours, if not less
often. In the south of the region, the situation is quite bad. Although
Velikiye Luki is a relatively large city, it is very difficult to leave
from there anywhere other than Pskov and Nevel.
The cuisine in the Pskov region is traditionally Russian. All more or
less tourist-oriented establishments strive to create a Russian flavor,
but they do it without much zeal. If Pskov, Izborsk, Pechory and
Pushkinskiye Gory are quite visited by tourists, then only the most
enthusiastic travelers go somewhere to Sebezh or Opochka, so there you
will find a typical public catering of an average regional center:
cafe-canteens during the day and cafe-drinks with deafeningly loud music
in the evening. Pskov itself is not a rich city, but there are fast
food, decent coffee shops, cozy cafes, and even restaurants located
right in the city wall or fortress tower, which makes it similar to
Western Europe. If you need comfort, it is advisable to stay in Pskov
and make one-day trips around the area.
The most characteristic
element of Pskov public catering is fried pies, which seem to be in
every cafeteria or cafe of the lower price category. Also in use are
traditional pastries such as cutlets and sausages in the dough, there
are nostalgic cakes generously decorated with butter cream. Supermarkets
and shops sell excellent buns - bagels, "Moscow" buns 3 times larger
than usual, and others.
With the exception of pastries and
confectionery, as well as sausages and meat products in company stores,
it is quite difficult to find local products. The Uspensky
(Svyatogorsky) Monastery in Pushkinskiye Gory launched the production of
herbal teas, berry juices, jams and sbitnya under the Stolbushensky
brand. They are sold in only two places - in the monastery itself and in
a special store on the territory of the Pskov Kremlin.
The Pskov region is in the third time zone (UTC+3). The time used is designated by the international standard as Moscow time (MSK). Since October 26, 2014, the offset from UTC is 3 hours. It should be noted that the 30th meridian of east longitude, whose time is used in the UTC + 2 time zone, crosses the Pskov region in its eastern part near the cities of Nevel and Dno.
There are more than 3,000 lakes in the Pskov region, including the
fifth largest in Europe - Lake Peipsi (3558 km²).
Main rivers:
Velikaya (430 km); Lovat (530 km, including 250 km in the region);
Plyussa (280 km, including 247 km in the region); Issa, left tributary
of the Great, (174 km); Shelon (248 km, including 171 km in the region);
Cheryokha, the right tributary of the Great, (145 km); Zhelcha (107 km);
Pskov, the right tributary of the Great, (102 km).
Almost ten
percent of the territory of the Pskov region is occupied by swamps.
Minerals of the Pskov region are represented by raw materials of sedimentary origin: limestone, gypsum, dolomites, building and glass sand, clays, raw materials for the production of mineral dyes, as well as sapropel, therapeutic mud, peat, underground fresh and mineral waters. Of the above deposits, as of 01/01/2020, 58 deposits are being developed, including: glass sands - 1, sand and gravel material - 19; sand - 8; sand and gravel material and sand - 11; refractory clays - 1, low-melting clays - 2; peat -9; sapropel - 1, carbonate raw materials - 6. Among them, sand and sand-gravel mixtures used in the construction and maintenance of roads, industrial and civil engineering are in the greatest demand. In 2019, 38 fields were developed, the total volume of sand and LGM production amounted to 2473.6 thousand m3. The volume of production for other types of minerals in 2019: - carbonate raw materials - 713.1 thousand m3, including limestone (building stone, crushed stone, limestone flour) - 507.7 thousand m3; — natural facing stone — 2.4 thousand m3; — limestone for firing to produce building lime — 203.0 thousand m3; - peat - 90.7 thousand tons; — molding sands — 45.2 thousand tons; - refractory clays - 70 thousand tons; — sapropel — 0.255 thousand m3.
Forests occupy about 30% of the region's area. Coniferous, mixed and
deciduous forests are widespread. Pine forests are the most common. Less
often, mainly in the north, there are gloomy spruce forests. In
addition, mixed deciduous forests are widespread; oak forests also grow
in the Novosokolnichesky district.
In the Pskov region, there are
156 species of higher plants listed in the Red Book.
Wolves,
bears, lynxes, foxes, hares, minks, wild boars, elks, martens, raccoon
dogs, squirrels and others are found in the forests of the region. Among
the birds, it is worth highlighting the white-tailed eagle, black stork,
kingfisher, tundra swan. The region has a rather high population of
lynx, which has almost disappeared in the rest of the territory of the
Russian Federation.
39 species of fish and cyclostomes live in
the reservoirs of the Pskov region. Of these, 3 species of brook trout,
European grayling and common sculpin need special protection measures
and are listed in the Red Book of the Pskov region. The main mass
species of fish are: pike perch, bream, pike, burbot, perch, roach,
ruff, silver bream, rudd, ide, asp, bleak, crucian carp. In the Pskov
region, a delicious smelt fish is mined.
It was formed on August 23, 1944 by the Decree of the Presidium of
the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, on October 2, 1957, most of the
abolished Velikoluksky region became part of it.
Previously, on
the territory on which the Pskov region is located, there were a number
of administrative-territorial entities.
Since the first half of
the 14th century, the Pskov land has been an independent state entity
with its own political institutions: veche, elected posadniks, and
invited princes. In the second half of the 15th century, Pskov
recognized the suzerainty of the Moscow principality. In 1510, the Pskov
land became part of the Muscovite state[14].
Until 1721, the
Pskov Territory was an outpost in the north-west of the Russian state.
The Pskovians defended their lands from the Livonian Order, the Grand
Duchy of Lithuania, the Commonwealth, and Sweden. They not only
successfully defended their land, but also traded with their neighbors.
The trading partners of Pskov were the cities of the Hanseatic League,
Sweden, the Commonwealth.
Counties were the lowest
administrative, judicial and fiscal administrative unit. Velikoluksky,
Gdovsky, Nevelsky, Novorzhevsky, Opochetsky, Porkhovsky, Sebezhsky,
Ostrovsky, Pskov uyezds are known on the territory on which the Pskov
region is now located, for example, Pskov uyezd in 1510-1708 was part of
the Grand Duchy of Moscow, then until 1710 on the basis of the Decree of
Peter I as part of the Ingermanland province, then until 1719 as part of
the St. Petersburg province, into which the Ingermanland province was
renamed.
The provinces created in Russia were vast in their
territory, the provincial offices could not cope with the management,
and in 1719 an intermediate administrative-territorial unit was
introduced between the county and the province - the province. The Pskov
province was formed in 1719 as part of the St. Petersburg province, and
then from 1727 was part of the newly formed Novgorod province.
The Pskov province was created in 1772 by the Decree of Catherine II,
and until 1776 it was part of 5 provinces: Velikie Luki (the center of
Velikiye Luki), Dvina (Dinaburg), Polotsk (Polotsk), Vitebsk (Vitebsk)
), Pskov (Pskov) with the provincial center in the city of Opochka, then
until 1777 by the Decree of Catherine II as part of 2 provinces:
Velikolukskaya and Pskov. The provincial center was then transferred to
the city of Pskov. After that, in 1777, the Pskov governorship was
formed as part of 10 counties: Pskov county, Ostrovsky county,
Opochetsky county, Novorzhevsky county, Velikoluksky county, Toropetsky
county, Kholmsky county, Porkhov county, Luga county, Gdovsky county. In
1781, the emblem of the Pskov governorship and the city of Pskov was
approved. Then the Pskov province, in 1796, by the Decree of Paul I, was
approved again, initially as part of 6 counties: Velikoluksky,
Opochetsky, Ostrovsky, Porkhov, Pskov and Toropetsky counties. In 1802,
the previously abolished Novorzhevsky and Kholmsky districts were
restored to the province. On March 24, 1924, by decree of the
All-Russian Central Executive Committee, Velizh (with a center in the
city of Velizh and including modern Usvyaty), Nevelsky (with a center in
the city of Nevel), Sebezh (with a center in the city of Sebezh)
counties of the Vitebsk province of the Byelorussian SSR became part of
the Pskov province . By this time, the province included 11 counties.
After the abolition of the provinces, on a territory significantly
larger than the current region, there existed for three years, from
August 1927 to August 1930, the Pskov and Velikoluksky districts as part
of the Leningrad region. The second of them was transferred to the
Western Region (with the center in Smolensk) in 1929. In 1930, the
districts were abolished, and their districts remained part of the
Leningrad and Western regions. In 1935, the territory of the former
Velikoluksky District was transferred to the newly formed Kalinin Region
(with its center in Kalinin, now Tver).
In 1935, as part of the
Leningrad Region, the Pskov District was created again, but already as a
border district (abolished in 1940), as part of the Kalinin Region, the
Velikoluksky Border District (abolished in 1938).
After the
abolition of the Velikoluksky district in 1938, part of the districts
included in it were transferred to the Opochetsky district, the other
part was transferred to the direct subordination of the Kalinin region.
In 1941-1944, the territory of the modern Pskov region was occupied
by German troops. During the Nazi occupation, by decree of Adolf Hitler,
all the occupied regions were divided into zones of administrative and
economic management: Reichskommissariats, general districts, regions and
districts, districts (districts). Pskov was assigned to the so-called
"Northern military region". The border of the territory passed along the
line Pskov-Dno-Staraya Russa.
In August 1944, the liberation of
the Pskov region from German troops was completed. On August 22-23,
1944, separate Velikolukskaya and Pskov regions were formed. The reason
that served to make such a decision was "the creation of organizational
prerequisites for the speedy restoration of the national economy." Thus,
continuity was restored in the centuries-old history of administrative
centers. The Pskov region with the center in Pskov included: Gdovsky,
Dedovichsky, Dnovsky, Karamyshevsky, Lyadsky, Novoselsky, Ostorovsky,
Palkinsky, Plyussky, Pozherevitsky, Polnovsky, Porkhovsky, Pskov,
Seredkinsky, Slavkovsky, Soshikhinsky, Strugo-Krasnensky districts of
the Leningrad region ; Ashevsky, Novorzhevsky, Pushkinogorsky districts
of the Kalinin region. In 1944, the Belsky, Ilyinsky and Usvyatsky
districts were transferred to the Velikoluksky region from the Smolensk
region.
Taking into account the requests of the population of the
Pechora, Slobodskaya, Tolkovskaya volosts of the Estonian and Latvian
SSRs and the petitions of the Presidiums of the Supreme Soviets of these
republics to include them in the RSFSR, they were included in the Pskov
region. On the territory of these volosts, by the Decree of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR of January 16, 1945,
Kachanovsky, Pechorsky and Pytalovsky districts were formed.
On
June 16, 1954, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the
RSFSR was issued on the consolidation of village councils in the Pskov
and Velikie Luki regions. This created the prerequisites for the
formation of larger administrative entities at the level of the district
and region. In order to eliminate administrative fragmentation, given
the economic commonality of the territories of the Pskov and Velikie
Luki regions, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of
the RSFSR of October 2, 1957, the Velikiye Luki region was abolished.
Its western part (19 districts) were included in the Pskov region, 9 -
in the Kalinin region.
On July 29, 1958, the Ploskoshsky District
was transferred from the Pskov Region to the Kalinin Region, and the
Kholmsky District was transferred to the Novgorod Region. Thus, the
modern borders of the Pskov region were designed.
February 16,
1967 Pskov region was awarded the Order of Lenin. The order was awarded
to the Pskov region for the courage shown by the Pskovites in the
partisan movement against the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic
War, and the successes achieved in the restoration and development of
the national economy.
The population of the region according to Rosstat is 587,518 people.
(2023). The population density is 10.61 people/km2 (2023). Urban
population - 72.03% (2022).
During the last three quarters of the
20th century, the region has experienced and continues to experience
intense depopulation associated with the outflow of young people and, as
a result, aging and natural population decline. If, according to the
1926 census, 1678 thousand people lived within the current borders of
the region, then by 1990 the population had decreased to 844 thousand,
and by the beginning of 2008 - to 705 thousand. where the mass exodus of
the population continues. In the 1990s, the Pskov region was
unofficially called the "capital of Russian depopulation", its
demographic indicators (first of all, the sex and age structure of the
population with a large proportion of older ages) were used in
educational literature to illustrate the relevant processes.
According to the Charter of the Pskov region, state power in the
region is exercised on the basis of the separation of powers into
legislative and executive. The state authorities of the Pskov region are
located in Pskov.
Legislature
Legislative power is exercised
by the Pskov Regional Assembly of Deputies. The first convocation began
work on April 8, 1994. Since 2002, he has been elected by the
inhabitants of the region according to a mixed system - the region was
one of the first to apply such a model. Since 2007, it has consisted of
44 deputies (22 + 22): one half is elected on party lists (proportional
system), the second - in single-member districts (majority system). To
obtain the right to participate in the distribution of mandates to the
Assembly under the proportional system, parties must overcome the 5%
threshold.
The current 6th convocation was elected on September
18, 2016. The seats in the Assembly were distributed as follows: United
Russia won 33 seats (in all 22 single-mandate districts and 11 on party
lists), the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - 5 seats (all 5
on party lists), LDPR - 3 seats (all 3 on party lists) , "Fair Russia" -
2 places (all 2 on party lists) and "Yabloko" - one place (on party
lists). Alexander Kotov, who headed the Assembly of the fifth
convocation, was again elected Chairman.
The powers of the
convocation will last five years - until September 2021.
As of
08/01/2020, the seats in the Assembly are distributed as follows: 31st
place - United Russia (in 20 single-mandate constituencies and 11 on
party lists), the Communist Party of the Russian Federation - 5 seats
(all 5 on party lists), LDPR - 3 seats (all 3 on party lists), "Fair
Russia" - 2 seats (all 2 on party lists) and "Yabloko" - 2 seats (1
single-member district and 1 on party lists), one deputy - outside the
faction (single-member district). The chairman of the regional Assembly
of Deputies is Alexander Kotov, who headed the Assembly of the fifth
convocation.
executive branch
Executive power is exercised by
the governor of the Pskov region, the administration of the Pskov region
headed by him, and other executive authorities. The governor is the
highest official of the region, elected by the residents of the region
for a term of five years. The same person cannot be governor for more
than two terms in a row.
Andrey Turchak was the governor from
2009 to 2017.
On October 12, 2017, by decree of the President of
the Russian Federation, Mikhail Vedernikov, who previously held the
position of Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of
the Russian Federation in the Northwestern Federal District, was
appointed acting Governor of the Pskov Region.
On September 9,
2018, Mikhail Vedernikov was elected governor of the Pskov region (he
was nominated for election by the Pskov regional branch of the United
Russia party based on the results of a preliminary intra-party vote),
won the 1st round, gaining 70.68% of the vote, and took office on
September 17, 2018.
Judicial branch
Judicial power is
exercised by federal courts and magistrates of the Pskov region.
Coat of arms of the Pskov region
Approved by the Law of the Pskov
Region No. 1915-OZ of December 28, 2018 "On the Coat of Arms of the
Pskov Region"[30].
It is based on the historical coats of arms of
the Pskov land for the period from the 17th to the 19th centuries. (in
an azure field a golden leopard; above it is a right hand emerging from
silver clouds).
The motto “PULL FOR THE FATHERLAND” is based on
the phrase of the holy noble prince Dovmont, said by him in 1266 during
the collection of the militia against the Lithuanian prince Gerden and
recorded in the Chronicle: “... my brethren ... pull for the house of
the Holy Trinity and for the holy churches, for your fatherland” .
Flag of the Pskov region
Approved by the Law of the Pskov Region
No. 1916-OZ of December 28, 2018 "On the Flag of the Pskov Region". It
is a rectangular blue cloth with a ratio of width to length of 2:3,
bearing the image of a hand, a cloud and a leopard from the coat of arms
of the Pskov region.
Anthem of the Pskov region
Approved by
the Law of the Pskov Region No. 2002-OZ of November 11, 2019 (as amended
on December 9, 2019) “On the Anthem of the Pskov Region”. The basis of
the music of the Anthem of the Pskov Region is the text specified in the
appendix to the Law (the author of the text is T. S. Ryzhova). The
author of the music is B. V. Fedotov.
GRP of the Pskov region for 2017 - 151.6 billion rubles
GRP per
capita for 2017 - 237.1 thousand rubles
Key sectors of the
economy in the structure of GRP for 2017:
manufacturing industries -
17.3%
wholesale and retail trade; repair of vehicles and motorcycles
- 16.0%
agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing and fish farming -
11.1%
transportation and storage - 9.8%
construction - 6.6%
The
GRP of the Pskov region for 2018 is 164.2 billion rubles.
GRP per
capita for 2018 is 259.4 thousand rubles.
Key sectors of the
economy in the structure of GRP for 2018:
manufacturing industries -
17.0%;
agriculture, forestry, hunting, fishing and fish farming -
11.9%;
wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and
motorcycles - 15.7%;
transportation and storage - 9.1%;
state
administration and ensuring military security; social security - 9.9%
The industry of the Pskov region is a diversified complex with 164
large and medium enterprises, the average number of employees in
industry in 2019 is 47 thousand people (about 24.6% of the average
number of employees in the regional economy)
Special Economic
Zones
On the territory of the Pskov district of the Pskov region in
2012, a special economic zone of the industrial production type
"Moglino" (SEZ IPT "Moglino") was created, the main task of which is the
creation of new high-tech industries. Residents of the IP SEZ "Moglino"
are provided with a number of tax benefits and customs preferences, as
well as guaranteed access to a developed engineering, transport and
business infrastructure. Residents of the IP SEZ "Moglino" are also
provided with benefits for corporate property tax, transport tax, land
tax and corporate income tax. At the beginning of July 2020, 15
companies are residents of the Moglino IP SEZ. Two enterprises carry out
production - a plant for the production of paints and varnishes LLC
"Nor-Maali" and a plant for the production of sublimated products of
PJSC "Sibirsky Gostinets". Most of the residents carry out design work
and will soon begin construction of factories that will produce cable
and wire products, solid wood building panels, PET and BOPET, industrial
gases, carbon monocrystals, exhaust systems for cars, polymer-bitumen
binder, development and implementation of innovative software products.
As of the end of 2020, 4 power plants with a total capacity of 445.74 MW were in operation in the Pskov Region, including two hydroelectric power plants and two thermal power plants. In 2020, they produced 166 million kWh of electricity. A feature of the region's energy sector is the sharp dominance of one station, Pskovskaya GRES, which provides about 90% of electricity generation.
The rural population as of January 1, 2021 is 180 thousand people,
about 29% of the population of the Pskov region.
Thanks to the
positive dynamics of agricultural development, and the effective
development of priority areas over the past three years (2017-2019), the
Pskov region has become a leader in the growth of agricultural
production among the regions of the North-Western Federal District and,
on average, in Russia, ranks first place in the North-Western Federal
District in terms of the growth of livestock and poultry for slaughter
in live weight, second place in rapeseed production and third place in
milk production.
The index of agricultural production in 2020 is
108.9% (in Russia 101.5%.), livestock 110%, crop production 102.6%.
For the Pskov region, the development of dairy farming is of “vital
and strategic importance”, as the number of cattle has been declining in
the region over the past five years. Therefore, local producers are
forced to buy raw materials in other regions. The authorities of the
Pskov region, through an individual development program in the field of
agriculture in 2022, will double the volume of purchases of dairy
cattle, up to 3 thousand heads, which will increase milk production and
replace the number of livestock carrying leukemia virus among farmers.
Farmers will receive compensation of 100,000 rubles per head of
livestock. Assistance to farmers in the region in the purchase of cows
will allow the Pskov region to increase milk production up to 320
thousand tons per year.
For comparison: as of January 1, 2011,
the number of cattle in the farms of all agricultural producers was
107.9 thousand heads, of which 55.3 thousand cows, 86.3 thousand pigs,
40.5 thousand sheep and goats .heads As of January 1, 2022, the number
of cattle in the farms of all agricultural producers is 60.5 thousand
heads (-7.9% compared to 01.01.2021), of which 30.2 thousand cows
(-8.5%), pigs - 1125.1 thousand (-22.1%), sheep and goats - 29.4
thousand heads (-9%). Milk yield per cow in agricultural organizations
in 2021 amounted to 7265 kilograms against 6295 kilograms in
January-December 2020.
In 2021, farms of all categories of the
Pskov region produced: livestock and poultry for slaughter (in live
weight) - 359 thousand tons (3.6% less than in the previous year), milk
- 205 thousand tons (0. 8% more than in the previous year), eggs - 84
million pieces (2.5% less than in the previous year). The increase in
milk production was provided by agricultural organizations, the share of
this category of farms in production amounted to 81%.
In 2020,
farms of all categories of the region produced: meat (in live weight) -
373 thousand tons (+13.8%), milk - 202 thousand tons (+1.8%), eggs - 86
million pieces (-1, 1 %). The share of agricultural organizations in the
production of meat is 99%, milk - 80%, eggs - 38%. Over the past 4
years, the Pskov region in terms of the production of pig meat per
capita has been ranked second in Russia.
The main producers of
meat in the region are pig-breeding complexes (292.0 thousand tons) and
poultry farms (24.6 thousand tons). This is due to the ongoing increase
in pork production capacities at the Velikoluksky agro-industrial
holding.
Crop production
The Pskov region is the leader in
Russia in terms of fiber flax yield per fiber with an indicator of 13.2
c/ha, and is in the TOP-5 regions of Russia in terms of rapeseed yield
of 26.2 c/ha, the average yield in Russia is 17.7 c/ha.
Pskovagroinvest will open a rapeseed processing plant in the Pskov
region in 2022. Cultivation of rapeseed allows solving the problem with
the commissioning of unused lands, of which there are 240 thousand
hectares. They will be reduced by 20% annually. Farmers will receive
rapeseed mass for fattening livestock, and Pskov rapeseed oil will
appear on store shelves.
In 2021, the following were harvested:
grain - 147 thousand tons, potatoes - 122 thousand tons, vegetables
(open and protected ground) - 30 thousand tons. The main producers of
grain are still agricultural organizations. Their share in grain
production was 96%. The production of potatoes and vegetables is
traditionally concentrated mainly in households, which have grown 63% of
the total potato harvest and 64% of open field vegetables.
In
2021, 150 thousand tons of grain were threshed, with a yield of more
than 32 centners per hectare, rapeseed - more than 26 thousand tons with
a yield of about 20 centners per hectare.
In crop production, the
farms of the Pskov region specialize in growing grains and leguminous
crops for fodder purposes, rapeseed, potatoes, and vegetables. In 2019,
in farms of all categories, grain production amounted to 142.6 thousand
tons of grain in weight after processing (302.1% by 2018), 136.7
thousand tons of potatoes were harvested (111.6% by 2018) . The gross
harvest of vegetables amounted to 33.9 thousand tons (107.1% compared to
2018). Rapeseed 19.1 thousand tons (114.4% by 2018). In 2020, 165.6
thousand tons of grain were harvested (+9.6% compared to 2019) 151
thousand tons after processing), 118.4 thousand tons of potatoes were
harvested (+1.6% compared to 2019), thousand tons (+0.8% to 2019) 35
thousand tons) of open and protected ground vegetables. The sown area in
2020 amounted to 43 thousand hectares. The main share of grain (95.8%)
is grown in agricultural organizations; potatoes (63.4%) and vegetables
(57.8%) - in households. The yield was: 39.5 c/ha of grain, rapeseed
26.2 c/ha, 154.8 c/ha of potatoes, 166.5 c/ha of open ground vegetables.
In the Pskov region there are 1315.9 thousand hectares of
agricultural land, of which 655.1 thousand hectares are arable land. The
volume of agricultural production in farms of all categories in 2019
amounted to 42.4 billion rubles.
The Pskov region is the most important transport hub of the
Northwestern District. It occupies a favorable geographical position and
borders: in the north - with the Leningrad region, in the northwest -
with Estonia, in the west - with Latvia, in the southwest and south -
with the Republic of Belarus, in the southeast - with the Smolensk
region , in the east - with the Tver region, in the northeast - with the
Novgorod region. The Pskov region is the only region in Russia that
borders on three states at once (among the constituent entities of the
Russian Federation, the Republic of Altai also has this position). The
region is located at the intersection of major transport routes, close
to major sales markets and distribution centers: Moscow and St.
Petersburg.
Car roads
The territory of the Pskov region is
crossed by the main public roads of federal significance:
M20
"Pskov" (Zaplyusye, Pskov, Ostrov, Opochka, Pustoshka and Nevel)
M9
"Baltic" (Kunya, Velikiye Luki, Novosokolniki, Idritsa and Sebezh)
P-56 Veliky Novgorod-Soltsy-Porkhov-Pskov, crosses large settlements -
Porkhov, Pskov;
A-212 Pskov-Izborsk - the border with the Republic of
Estonia, crosses large settlements - Pskov, Izborsk.
A - 122 "A-114 -
Ustyuzhna - Krestsy - Yazhelbitsy - Velikiye Luki - Nevel", crosses
large settlements - Loknya, Velikiye Luki, Nevel.
The total length of
the road network of the Pskov region is 23.4 thousand km, including
roads of federal, regional and local significance. The length of
highways with a capital type of coverage is 6.8 thousand km, with
transitional and unpaved types of coverage - 16.6 thousand km.
Among the highways of the Pskov region, 4 roads of regional importance
are paid according to the decision of the regional administration:
Border with the Republic of Estonia - Pechory - Stary Izborsk, 23.2 km
long;
Island - Vyshgorodok - to the border with the Republic of
Latvia, 62.3 km long;
Section of the motor road Opochka - Dubrovka -
to the border with the Republic of Belarus, 82.1 km long;
Section of
the highway Olsha - Velizh - Usvyaty - Nevel, 58.7 km long
Bus
transportation
Pskov bus is a bus system in the city of Pskov. It is
represented by a network of buses of small, large and extra large
capacity. For non-state enterprises - by buses of small and especially
small capacity. The average age of buses is 14 years. Transportation in
Pskov is carried out by 4 carriers: GPPO Pskovpassazhiravtotrans, LLC
Alyur Avto, LLC Avteks and IP Silacheva V.V. The city route network
consists of 23 routes. All transportation is carried out by buses of
small, medium, large and extra large capacity. Buses connect all
districts of the city: Zavelichye, Zapskovye, Crosses, Lyubyatovo,
Ovsishche, Korytovo and Lopatino. From April 11, 2019, a pilot project
of an automated fare control system (ASCOP) is being implemented in the
city of Pskov. Contactless bank cards MasterCard PayPass™, VISA
PayWave™, MIR Pay are used as payment for public transport. The second
step in the introduction of contactless payment will be the introduction
of transport cards. There will be four types of transport cards: a
single transport card; regional beneficiary card; student card and
student card.
Border infrastructure
On the territory of the
Pskov region there are 6 automobile checkpoints with the countries of
the European Union: 2 checkpoints on the border with Estonia and 4
checkpoints on the border with Latvia. They are included in the scope of
activity of the Pskov customs.
Railways
The operational length
of public railways is 1091 km.
The density of public railway
tracks is 19.7 km of tracks per 1000 km² of the territory of the Pskov
region.
All railway lines are not electrified (on diesel
traction) and mostly single-track. The lack of electrified tracks is one
of the limitations for the development of railway transport in the Pskov
region.
The railway network consists of 112 railway stations, of
which:
4 nodes: Pskov, Velikiye Luki, Dno, Novosokolniki;
3 border
stations: Pechory-Pskov with Estonia, Sebezh with Belarus, Pytalovo with
Latvia.
Main lines:
St. Petersburg - Pskov, Lastochka train,
daily.
Moscow - Pskov, daily.
Pskov - Novgorod - Petrozavodsk,
with stops at the stations: Svir, Lodeynoye Pole, Volkhovstroy-2, Irsa,
Chudovo-Moskovskoye, Spasskaya Polist, Podberezye, Luga, Plyussa, Struga
Krasnye.
St. Petersburg - Dno - Vitebsk (via Bezhanitsy, Loknya,
Novosokolniki and Nevel)
Moscow - Rzhev - Velikiye Luki - Riga (via
Kunya, Novosokolniki, Pustoshka, Idritsa and Sebezh)
In 2021, it
is planned to build a high passenger platform No. 1 at the station.
Pskov. Narrow gauge railways in the region:
See also: Operating
narrow gauge railways in Russia
Water communication
There are
503 km of inland waterways. Of these, the shipping routes of Lake
Peipus-Pskov - 403 km. The tributaries of the lake are also navigable:
Velikaya for 34 kilometers, Zhelcha for 31 km, Chernaya for 18 km and
small sections along other tributaries.
There is no regular cargo
and passenger navigation on the inland waterways of the region.
In the Pskov region, regular passenger transportation is carried out on
the territory of two districts: Pskov and Pechora.
Transportation
of goods and passengers on the territory of the Pechora region is
carried out by using the passenger boat "Obozerye" (project No.
KS-102-02), as well as by using motorized small boats by local
residents.
On the territory of the Pskov region, water
transportation is carried out by the boat "Talabsk" along the route
"village Tolbitsa - island them. Zalita - island them. Belova" and vice
versa.
The international port "Storozhinets" is located on the
territory of the region. There is no water communication with the
Republic of Estonia.
The timetable of the boat "Obozerye".
Timetable of the boat "Talabsk".
Air communication
The
central object of the transport infrastructure of the Pskov region in
air traffic is the international airport of the city of Pskov named
after Princess Olga for medium-haul passenger and cargo aircraft with a
gross weight of up to 250 tons. The civil area of the airport serves 13
large or medium and 20 small aircraft. The Velikiye Luki airport is not
operating.
Pskov - Moscow, 4 times a week;
Pskov - Sochi, 2
times a week;
Pskov - Kaliningrad, 2 times a week;
Pskov - Anapa,
2 times a week.
The carrier on the routes Pskov - Moscow and
Pskov - Sochi is Azimuth Airlines JSC, on the directions Pskov -
Kaliningrad and Pskov - Anapa - JSC AK RusLine.
Pipeline
transport
Near the settlements of Dno, Porkhov and Izborsk, the main
gas pipeline Valdai - Riga passes.
The level of gasification of
the Pskov region as of 01/01/2020 is 53.41%. Of the 26 municipalities,
15 are gasified, including the cities of Pskov and Velikiye Luki.
power lines
Main transmission lines,
330 kV overhead line
Pskovskaya GRES - Starorusskaya GRES (there is a connection with
Kirishskaya GRES through 3 330 kV substations of the energy system of
the Novgorod region),
VL 330 kV Pskovskaya GRES - Novosokolniki,
VL 330 kV Polotsk - Novosokolniki (L 345),
VL 330 kV Pskovskaya GRES
- Velikoretskaya,
VL 330 kV Velikoretskaya - Rezekne (L 309),
VL
330 kV Velikoretskaya - Pskov,
VL 330 kV Kingiseppskaya - Pskov,
VL 330 kV Pskov - Tartu (L-358),
VL 330 kV Pskov - Luzhskaya,
VL
330 kV Novosokolniki - Talashkino.
Patriotic education
Military Patriotic Center "Patriot": the
subject of the center is training and education in the interests of the
individual, family, society and the state, the creation of favorable
conditions for the versatile development of the individual. The Center
is working to improve the patriotic education of children, adolescents,
youth through educational and leisure activities, in cooperation with
educational institutions and military units, veteran organizations,
military-patriotic unions and societies. On the basis of the Center, the
regional branch of the VVPOD "Yunarmiya" operates, which has more than
3,800 people. Members of the Yunarmiya actively participate in
military-patriotic events at various levels: the All-Russian campaign
"St. , in the annual meeting of representatives of Russia-Belarus-Latvia
on the Mound of Friendship. In addition to public organizations, in the
Pskov region, on the basis of the Stalin Line memorial complex, a major
military-patriotic festival is annually held dedicated to the heroic
defense of Pskov in July 1941 and the liberation in July 1944.
Also in the region, the civil-patriotic youth project "Fortieth Forest -
the memory of partisan glory" is annually implemented, which brings
together more than two hundred schoolchildren and students of the Pskov
region. The purpose of the forum "Fortieth Forest-Memory of Partisan
Glory" is the civil and patriotic education of the younger generation,
the formation of an active life position, responsibility for the fate of
the native land, country, the creation of conditions for successful
socialization and civic self-realization of youth.
In the
educational organizations of the region there are 133 local history
museums, of which: 110 - in secondary schools, 8 - in institutions of
additional education, 9 - in institutions of vocational education, 6 -
in boarding schools. The work of museums is coordinated by the Councils
of Museums created on their basis, which include students, teachers,
parents, veterans, representatives of public organizations. On the basis
of museums, search groups are working to collect materials that
correspond to the profile of the museum. Work is constantly being
carried out to create, update and replenish expositions dedicated to
military events, war and labor veterans, and the history of the small
Motherland.
In 175 health camps (of which: 16 country camps, 2 health camps
opened on the basis of regional sanatoriums, 2 tent camps, 151 day
camps, 4 labor and recreation camps), more than 25 thousand
schoolchildren rest annually.
Training of specialists and workers
In December 2016, the Pskov region joined the Young Professionals
movement (WorldSkills Russia). Regional stages of the Young
Professionals Championship (WorldSkills Russia) are held annually on the
basis of professional educational institutions of the Pskov region. The
winners of the regional stages participate in the Qualifiers for
participation in the Finals of the National Championship "Young
Professionals (WorldSkills Russia)" and in the Finals of the National
Championship "Young Professionals (WorldSkills Russia)".
In the
Finals of the National Championship "Young Professionals (WorldSkills
Russia)" in 2018 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the team of the Pskov Region took
2nd place in the Rescue Works-Juniors competency.
In the Pskov
region, regional stages of the Abilympics championship are held
annually. The winners participate in the Abilympics National
Championship of Professional Excellence among the Disabled and Persons
with Disabilities in Moscow. The regional center for the development of
the Abilympics movement operates in the region on the basis of the Pskov
College of Professional Technologies and Service.
In December
2018, the winners of the regional stage of the Pskov region took part in
the IV Abilympics National Championship in Moscow, where the student of
the Pskov Region Pskov Polytechnic College is a student. Ksenia
Chevskaya was among the winners of the 4th Abilympics National
Professional Excellence Championship among the disabled and people with
disabilities in the Floristry competency.
In December 2019, the
winners of the regional stage of the Pskov region took part in the V
Abilympics National Championship in Moscow, where they won 2 first
places in the competencies: Pottery, Dry construction and plastering.
As part of the implementation of the state program of the Russian
Federation "Accessible Environment" for 2011-2020, 2 basic professional
educational organizations were created and are operating to support the
regional system of inclusive vocational education for people with
disabilities and people with disabilities: GBPOU PO "Pskov College of
Professional Technologies and Service ” and GBPOU PO Velikoluksky
Polytechnic College.
In 2019, 3 institutions of the region passed
a competitive selection for grants under the federal project "Young
Professionals" (increasing the competitiveness of professional
education): GBPOU PO "Opochetsk Industrial Pedagogical College" (lot
social sphere), GBPOU PO "Pskov Polytechnic College" ( construction
lot), GBPOU PO Velikoluksky Medical College (social sphere lot).
In December 2019, 15 workshops were opened: teaching in elementary
grades, preschool education, medical and social care, teaching
technology, social work; furniture production, joinery, carpentry,
landscaping, restoration of wood products; medical and social care,
general medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmaceuticals".
More than 400 children of the "risk group", children with
disabilities and children with disabilities from 0 to 3 years old
receive early assistance (comprehensive examination, consultations,
correctional and developmental classes, massage, swimming pool visits).
Preschool education is received by 2085 children with disabilities
and children with disabilities, primary general, basic general and
secondary general education - 5999 students with disabilities, children
with disabilities and disabled people.
251 students with
disabilities (187) and disability (64) study in professional educational
organizations of the region.
In 18% of general educational
organizations of the region, a universal barrier-free environment has
been created for children with disabilities to receive a quality
education.
Since 2009, distance learning has been organized in
the region for disabled children who are unable to attend general
educational organizations due to health reasons, work in this direction
is being carried out by the state budgetary educational institution of
the Pskov region "Center for Curative Pedagogics and Differentiated
Education" on the basis of which the Center for Distance Education of
Children- disabled people. In 2019-2020 academic year 113 children with
disabilities received general and additional education using distance
learning technologies.
Since 2016, the International Festival
"Other Art" has been held in the region with the support of the Ministry
of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
Within the
framework of the festival, children and young people with disabilities
present the results of education through various types of creativity:
stage productions, music, visual arts.
In 2017, in the structure
of the Pskov State University, on the basis of the Center for Curative
Pedagogics and Differentiated Education, the Federal Resource Center for
the Development of a System of Comprehensive Support for Children with
Intellectual Disabilities, with Severe Multiple Developmental
Disabilities, was established.
In the Pskov region, there are 2
regional resource centers based on the Center for Curative Pedagogics
and Differentiated Education for organizing comprehensive support for
children with autism spectrum disorders and families raising them and on
the basis of the Opochetsk Special (Correctional) Boarding School for
Children - orphans and children left without parental care with
disabilities" and SBEI "Porkhov special (correctional) boarding school"
- to support the educational process in municipal educational
institutions for children with disabilities.