A gradonachalstvo (Russian: градоначальство) was a special administrative territorial entity of the Russian Empire consisting of a city and its adjacent territory under administration of a gradonachalnik,[1] an official who was subordinated directly to the General Governor[2] and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, instead of a civilian governor.
Gradonachalstvo's were the predecessors of cities of regional significance.
The Saint Petersburg and Odessa gradonachalstvo's were forming special land districts as both of the cities dumas were using rights of a country land (zemstvo) assembly and electing deputies to guberniya land assembly.
The city of Dalniy was leased from China by the Russian-Chinese Convention of 1898 for 25 years.
In 1727 there was established an additional post of a chief commander that existed until 1797 and supervised the governor of Moscow.