Active State Councillor

Active State Councillor (Russian: действительный статский советник, deystvitelnyi statskiy sovetnik) was a civil position (class) in the Russian Empire, according to the Table of Ranks introduced by Peter the Great in 1722.

[1][2][3] The rank holder should be addressed as Your Excellency (Russian: Ваше Превосходительство, Vashe Prevoskhoditelstvo).

From the middle of the 19th century, the rank of Active state councilor was included in the top of the four groups of civil officials.

The group (from 1st to 5th grade) represented the high state bureaucracy, which determined the policy of the Russian Empire.

Eventually, the requirement was canceled, and the rank was awarded solely by the Emperor's permission.