Little Russia
In 1808 he was appointed governor-general of and in 1810 was promoted to privy councillor in recognition of his work supplying food to the Moldavian army. In 1812, to face the French invasion of Russia, he formed 17 Cossack regiments in Little Russia on his own initiative - these were deployed to Tula and Kaluga and so to protect Little Russia he also raised a national militia.