The author essays eliciting the possibilities of applying the concept of chronotope for the analysis of political processes and structures on the regional level, first of all of those related to Russia's democratic transit. The notions are characterized, of chronopolitical measure and rhythm, of historical time, of chronotope proper, and of frontier-region chronotope. Proceeding from these characterizations, the chronotopes of Kaliningrad oblast and of Pskov oblast are examined; as the author concludes, relative openness is the reply of the former to the challenges of the frontier-region status, whereas the reply of the latter is its tendency to take on the defensive.