Kondratev I. The Left-bank counties (starostwo) of Kyiv Voevodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Rech Pospolita: social and territorial transformations XIV – XVII centuries.

In the days of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Rech Pospolita, at first the volost and later – the starostwo were one of the main forms of royal possession and state colonization, as well as the main administrative-territorial and economic unit of voevodeship. Most of the constituencies that were part of the Kyiv, Volyn, and Bratslav Voivodeships were located in the Dnieper Right Bank, with the exception of two borderline located in the Northern Left Bank – Oster and Lubech starostwo. Being a peripheral administrative-territorial entity, these counties (starostwo) were not previously the subject of special study, the lack of interest in their history was also due to the lack of a comprehensive documentary database, much better represented in the history of the Right Bank. However, because of their borderline status, they have played a key role in historical events from time to time. From 1500 to 1618 the Oster and Lubech counties (starostwo) bordered with the Grand Duchy of Moscow (from 1547 – the kingdom). The wars passed through these territories, there were constant border conflicts, and from the end of the 15th century the attacks of the Crimean Khanate became regular.