Starobelsk lies in the District of Lugansk. It has the largest dairy factory in Ukraine and highly-developed fruit and vegetable processing plants, as well as repair and mechanical and furniture plants. Starobelsk has special associations with Poland, as this is where in 1939-1940 4.5 thousand Polish soldiers were deported and executed. Mass graves were discovered in 1944 and in recent years the city has taken care of the sites of those tragic events. As a result of efforts taken by the authorities of Starobelsk, a cemetery was created where the ashes of the murdered Poles lie. Poles who live in Starobelsk are very active in keeping up close ties with their homeland. The sister-city agreement between Starobelsk and Lublin, signed on 15 March 1996, besides a number of topics relating to cooperation, contains a declaration on mutual support in protecting historic monuments and commemorative sites.