In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, the area was included into Smolensk Governorate and remained there until 1929, with the exception of the brief period between 1775 and 1796, when Smolensk Governorate was transformed into Smolensk Viceroyalty. The area belonged to Krasninsky Uyezd, which was established in 1775. In 1776, Krasny was granted town status. In 1796, the uyezd was abolished but it was re-established in 1802.[11][12]
During the French invasion of Russia, Krasny played an important role, since the French army passed it twice en route to and from Russia. The battle in August 1812 was a lesser action of Murat's advance guard against the small retreating Russian rearguard of Dmitry Neverovsky. The French ran into unexpectedly strong resistance from the Russians. In his Napoleonic history, de Ségur wrote that Neverovsky retreated "like a lion".
At the Battle of Krasnoi in November 1812, the Russian army inflicted heavy losses on the remnants of the French Grande Armée. There are two monuments in Krasny commemorating that event, both erected in 1912.
In 1897, the ethnic make-up, by mother tongue, was 46.3% Russian, 46.2% Belarusian, 5.7% Jewish and 1.0% Polish.[13]
On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Krasninsky District with the administrative center in Krasny was established. Krasny did not retain the town status during Soviet times. The district belonged to Smolensk Okrug of Western Oblast. On August 1, 1930, the okrugs were abolished, and the districts were subordinated directly to the oblast. On 27 September 1937 Western Oblast was abolished and split between Oryol and Smolensk Oblasts. Krasninsky District was transferred to Smolensk Oblast. Between 1941 and 1943, during WWII, Krasny was occupied by German troops. On 1 February 1963, during the abortive Khrushchyov administrative reform, Krasninsky District was merged into Smolensky District, but in 1965 it was re-established.[11][12]
In Krasny, there is a museum of local lore, whose three exhibits include materials on the Patriotic War of 1812, Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, and on modern life at the settlement.[15]
On September 27, 2009, the "Walk of Heroes" history museum opened in Krasny.[citation needed]
^Федеральная служба государственной статистики. Федеральное агентство по технологическому регулированию и метрологии. №ОК 033-2013 1 января 2014 г. «Общероссийский классификатор территорий муниципальных образований. Код 66 624 151 051». (Federal State Statistics Service. Federal Agency on Technological Regulation and Metrology. #OK 033-2013 January 1, 2014 Russian Classification of Territories of Municipal Formations. Code 66 624 151 051. ).
^"Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). 3 June 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
^Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
^ abSłownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom IV (in Polish). Warszawa. 1883. p. 625.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ abcИсторическая справка (in Russian). Krasninsky District Administration. Archived from the original on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
Администрация Смоленской области. Постановление №261 от 30 апреля 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области», в ред. Постановления №464 от 27 июня 2014 г. «О внесении изменений в реестр административно-территориальных единиц и территориальных единиц Смоленской области». Опубликован: База данных "Консультант-плюс". (Administration of Smolensk Oblast. Resolution #261 of April 30, 2008 On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #464 of June 27, 2014 On Amending the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Territorial Units of Smolensk Oblast. ).
Смоленская областная Дума. Закон №77-з от 1 декабря 2004 г. «О наделении статусом муниципального района муниципального образования "Краснинский район" Смоленской области, об установлении границ муниципальных образований, территории которых входят в его состав, и наделении их соответствующим статусом», в ред. Закона №87-з от 31 октября 2011 г. «О внесении изменений в областной Закон "О наделении статусом муниципального района муниципального образования "Краснинский район" Смоленской области, об установлении границ муниципальных образований, территории которых входят в его состав, и наделении их соответствующим статусом"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вестник Смоленской областной Думы и Администрации Смоленской области", №12, часть II, стр. 145, 5 декабря 2004 г. (Smolensk Oblast Duma. Law #77-z of December 1, 2004 On Granting the Status of the Municipal District to the Municipal Formation of "Krasninsky District" of Smolensk Oblast, on Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Whose Territories It Comprises, and on Granting Them Appropriate Status, as amended by the Law #87-z of October 31, 2011 On Amending the Oblast Law "On Granting the Status of the Municipal District to the Municipal Formation of "Krasninsky District" of Smolensk Oblast, on Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations Whose Territories It Comprises, and on Granting Them Appropriate Status". Effective as of the official publication date.).