Russian post offices in the Ottoman Empire

The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in 1774 provided for a regular mail service, for which a consular post office was established in Constantinople.

Beginning in 1779 a mail boat circulated between Constantinople and Kherson, and 1781 saw the establishment of an overland route through Bucharest to Bratzlav.

In 1856, the Russian Steam Navigation and Trading Company (Russkoe Obschchestvo Parokhodstva i Torgovli or РОПиТ, ROPiT) took over postal operations.

This type is today rare, as were the normal-sized 2k and 20k stamps issued in 1865, which included a sailing ship along with the imperial coat of arms, and "ROPiT" in the inscription.

1909 also saw the issuance of these stamps overprinted in French with the names of cities where the Russian post offices were located: "Beyrouth" - Beirut, "Constantinople" - Constantinople, "Dardanelles" - Dardanelles, "Jaffa" - Jaffa, "Jerusalem" - Jerusalem, "Kerassunde" - Giresun,"Mersine", "Mételin" - Mytilene, "Mont Athos" - Mount Athos, "Rizeh" - Rize, "Salonique" - Salonica, "Smyrne" - Smyrna, "Trebizonde" - Trabzon.