Starodub (, old oak) is a town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, on the Babinets River (the Dnieper basin), southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 (1975). History Starodub has been known since the 11th century, when it was a part of the Principality of Chernigov. It was plundered by the Cumans in 1080. It was burned to the ground by the Mongols in the 13th 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. In 1408, it was granted to Duke Švitrigaila. 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. During the Smolensk War, in 1632, it was captured by Russia, however, it was restored to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1634. 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, within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1654, it passed to Russia, confirmed in 1686. In 1660, the town was ravaged by Tatars, and in 1663 it was attacked by the Poles. 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. 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. In 1870, there were ten factories, including nine tanneries. Four annual fairs were held. In 1918, the town was occupied by the Germans. The Soviet authority was instated in November 1918. 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. Starodub finally became a part of Bryansk Oblast in 1944. Administrative and municipal status Within the framework of administrative divisions, Starodub