The
Lovat River was a part of the
trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, one of the oldest trading routes passing through
Rus'. One of the versions of this trade route followed passed the Kunya and Zhizhitsa Rivers. The area was populated since the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, the northern part of what is now Kunyinsky District belonged to the
Principality of Toropets, whereas the southern part joined the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Subsequently, the northern part was included into the
Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the southern part moved to
Poland and remained there until the
First Partition of Poland in 1772. In the course of the
administrative reform carried out in 1708 by
Peter the Great, the north of the area was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as
Saint Petersburg Governorate). In 1727, separate
Novgorod Governorate was split off, and in 1772,
Pskov Governorate (which between 1777 and 1796 existed as
Pskov Viceroyalty) was established. The northern part of the contemporary Kunyinsky District was split between
Velikoluksky and
Toropetsky Uyezds of Pskov Governorate. On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Kunyinsky District was established, with the administrative center in the settlement of Kunya. It included parts of former Velikoluksky and Toropetsky Uyezds. Pskov Governorate was abolished as well, and the district became a part of
Velikiye Luki Okrug of
Leningrad Oblast. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to
Western Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were also abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. On January 1, 1932 the district was abolished and split between Toropetsky, Velikoluksky, and
Ilyinsky Districts. On February 10, 1935, the district was re-established as a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of
Kalinin Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the
Soviet Union. On May 4, 1938, the district was subordinated directly to the oblast. Between August 1941 and January 1942, Kunyinsky District was occupied by
German troops. On August 22, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established
Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished, and Kunyinsky District was transferred to Pskov Oblast. On February 1, 1963 the district was abolished and merged into Velikoluksky District; on January 12, 1965 it was re-established. On March 2, 1966 Kunya was granted urban-type settlement status. The southern part of the area in 1772 was included into newly established Pskov Governorate. In 1777, it was transferred to
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 Velizhsky Uyezd was transferred to Pskov Governorate. On August 1, 1927,
Usmynsky District with the administrative center in the selo of
Usmyn was created on the territories which previously belonged to
Nevelsky and Toropetsky Uyezds. It was a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to Western Oblast, and on September 20, 1930, Usmynsky District was abolished and split between Velizhsky and Usvyatsky Districts. On March 10, 1945, it was re-established as Prikhabsky District, with the administrative center in the selo of
Prikhaby, a part of Velikiye Luki Oblast, from the areas belonging to Usvyatsky and Kunyinsky Districts. In March 1949 the administrative center of the district was moved to Usmyn, and the district renamed Usmynsky. On October 2, 1957, the district was transferred to Pskov Oblast. On October 3, 1959, Usmynsky District was abolished and merged into Kunyinsky District. ==Economy==