administrative center of Pskov Governorate. In 1777, Pskov Governorate was transformed into Pskov Viceroyalty. In 1796, the viceroyalty was abolished, and the emperor Paul I issued a decree restoring Pskov Governorate. The south of Pskov Oblast was transferred to Polotsk Governorate, which in 1777 became Polotsk Viceroyalty. In 1796, the viceroyalty was abolished and the area was transferred to Belarus Governorate; since 1802 to Vitebsk Governorate. After 1919, Vitebsk Governorate was a part of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. In 1924, Vitebsk Governorate was abolished, and Sebezhsky, Nevelsky, and Velizhsky Uyezds were transferred to Pskov Governorate. In 1920, the Treaty of Tartu established the border between Russia and independent Estonia, and the areas constituting now Pechorsky District, along with the town of Pechory, were transferred to Estonia. In the same year, the Treaty of Riga fixed the boundary between Russia and Latvia, with some parts of Pskov Governorate transferred to Latvia. On August 1, 1927, Pskov and Saint Petersburg Governorates were abolished, in the course of the administrative reform, and all of the areas which currently belong to Pskov Oblast and belonged then to Soviet Union, became a part of Leningrad Oblast. The oblast was divided into okrugs, and the current area of Pskov Oblast was split between Pskov and Velikiye Luki Okrugs. On June 17, 1929, Velikiye Luki Okrug was transferred to Western Oblast, a huge administrative unit with the center in Smolensk. In 1930, the okrugs were also abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblasts. In 1935, the northern part of Western Oblast was transferred to the newly established Kalinin Oblast. The areas which constitute now Usvyatsky District and the southern part of Kunyinsky District remained in Western Oblast until it was abolished in 1937, at which point they were transferred to Smolensk Oblast. In the summer of 1941, during the World War II, the current area of Pskov Oblast was occupied by German troops. Most of it was not liberated until the summer of 1944. After the liberation, the administrative division of Soviet Union was considerably changed. On August 22, 1944, Velikiye Luki Oblast was established, with the center in Velikiye Luki, and on the following day, August 23, 1944, Pskov Oblast was established. In 1945, some areas were transferred from Estonian and Latvian Soviet Socialist Republics to Pskov Oblast and formed three districts, Pechorsky, Pytalovsky, and Kachanovsky Districts. Together, Pskov and Velikiye Luki