A selsovet (Russian: сельсове́т; short for "се́льский сове́т") is the lowest level of administrative division in Russia, one level below districts. It is usually a unit of administration of several rural settlements located in a compact area.
Selsovets are not uniformely called that in all of the Russian subdivisions. The exceptions are as follows (the list is incomplete):
- Adygeya—rural okrugs (сельские округа).
- Buryatia—selsovets are used together with somons (сомоны). Both types are on the same administrative level, with somons covering areas which are more ethnic in population.
- Kalmykia & Karachay-Cherkessia—rural municipalities (сельские муниципальные образования).
- Republic of Karelia—rural administrations (сельские администрации) and rural settlement councils (поселковые советы). Both types are on the same administrative level.
- North Ossetia-Alania—rural settlements administrations (администрации сельских поселений).