Novosil
Novosil’
a city and the administrative center of Novosil’ Raion, Orel Oblast, RSFSR. It is situated on the right bank of the Zusha River, a tributary of the Oka, 16 km northeast of the Zalegoshch’ railroad station on the Orel-Elets line and 80 km east of Orel.
Novosil’ is mentioned in the chronicles under the year 1155 as a city in the Chernigov Principality. In the early 14th century it became the center of the appanage Novosil’ Principality. It was conquered by Lithuania in the early 15th century but was restored to Russia at the end of the century. In the 16th century, Novosil’ was a fortress along the abatis line, and in the late 18th century it became a district capital in Tula Province.