Starodub

Not to be confused with Starodub-on-the-Klyazma.

For a footballer, see Dmitri Starodub.

Starodub (Russian: Староду́б, IPA: [stərɐˈdup], lit. 'old oak') is a town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, on the Babinets River in the Dnieper basin, 169 kilometers (105 mi) southwest of Bryansk. Population: 17,687 (2021 Census);^[7] 19,010 (2010 Census);^[3] 18,643 (2002 Census);^[8] 18,906 (1989 Soviet census);^[9] 16,000 (1975).

Starodub Стародуб
Town[1]
Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Starodub
Starodub Location of Starodub Show map of Russia Starodub Starodub (Bryansk Oblast) Show map of Bryansk Oblast
Coordinates: 52°35′N 32°46′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Bryansk Oblast[2]
Known since	11th century
Elevation	180 m (590 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	19,010
Administrative status
• Subordinated to	Starodubsky Urban Administrative Okrug (town of oblast significance)[2]
• Capital of	Starodubsky Urban Administrative Okrug,[2] Starodubsky District[1]
Municipal status
• Urban okrug	Starodub Urban Okrug[4]
• Capital of	Starodub Urban Okrug[4]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [5])
Postal code(s)[6]	142943
OKTMO ID	15750000001

History

Siege of Starodub in 1535 by Polish-Lithuanian forces

Starodub has been known since the 11th century, when it was a part of the Principality of Chernigov.^[10] It was plundered by the Cumans in 1080.^[10] It was burned to the ground by the Mongols in the 13th century.

Starodub in the late 19th century.

It became a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th century (soon part of the Polish–Lithuanian union), and Grand Duke Algirdas rebuilt it as a defensive stronghold against Muscovites and Tatars.^[10] In 1408, it was granted to Duke Švitrigaila.^[10] In 1503, it passed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow. In 1535, it was besieged and captured by Polish-Lithuanian forces and the defenders were executed however, it soon fell back to Muscovy. In 1616, it was recaptured by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, within which it became a county seat in the Smolensk Voivodeship.^[10] During the Smolensk War, in 1632, it was captured by Russia, however, it was restored to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1634.^[10] In 1648, during the Khmelnytskyi Uprising, Zaporozhian Cossacks seized the town, and 188 families of local Ruthenian nobility recognized the Cossack hetman as a new governor,^[11] within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, after which the Ukrainians staged a anti-Jewish pogrom.^[12] In 1654, it passed to Russia, confirmed in 1686.^[10] In 1660, the town was ravaged by Tatars, and in 1663 it was attacked by the Poles.^[10] Starodub became the center of Starodub Cossack Regiment and enjoyed a large measure of autonomy between 1666 and 1686. In 1677 the town suffered a fire.^[10]

Starodub remained rudiments of Cossack Hetmanate's administrative division until 1782 when it became an uyezd town. In 1796, Starodub was incorporated into Chernigov Governorate. In 1867, Starodub had a population of 12,042.^[13] In 1870, there were ten factories, including nine tanneries.^[13] Four annual fairs were held.^[13] In 1918, the town was occupied by the Germans^{[citation needed]} and the town was part of the Ukrainian People's Republic.^{[citation needed]} The Soviet authority was instated in November 1918.^{[citation needed]}

Statue of a cow in front of the Starodub cheese factory

During the Soviet period, Starodub was a part of Gomel Governorate (1919–1926), Bryansk Governorate (1926–1929), Western Oblast (1929–1937), and Oryol Oblast (1937–1944). The town was once again occupied by the Germans between August 18, 1941 and September 22, 1943. The Germans operated a Nazi prison and a forced labour battalion for Jews in the town.^[14][15] Starodub finally became a part of Bryansk Oblast in 1944.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Starodub serves as the administrative center of Starodubsky District,^[1] even though it is not a part of it.^[2] As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as Starodubsky Urban Administrative Okrug—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, Starodubsky Urban Administrative Okrug is incorporated as Starodub Urban Okrug.^[2]

Prior to January 1, 2013, Starodub was administratively incorporated as a town of district significance within Starodubsky District.

Architecture

As a significant center of the Cossack Hetmanate, Starodub is the only place in Russia where authentic examples of Ukrainian Baroque may be seen. The Nativity Cathedral, built in 1617 and overhauled after a conflagration in 1677, is a typical example of Cossack Baroque. The Epiphany Church goes back to 1789, while the Church of St. Nicholas was erected in the Neoclassical style in 1802.

Notable people

• Alexandra Ramm-Pfemfert (1883–1963), translator
• Uri Nissan Gnessin (1879–1913), writer
• Menahem Gnessin (1882–1951), actor
• Pavlo Skoropadskyi (1873–1945), Hetman of Ukraine, went to school in Starodub
• Ivan Skoropadskyi (1646–1722), Zaporizhian Hetman, was at one point stationed in the town, when he was colonel of the Starodub Cossack regiment