Lubny is a city in the Poltava Oblast (province) of central Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Lubensky Raion (district), the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast. The current estimated population is around 52,600 (as of 1999). Lubny is reputed to be one of the oldest cities in Ukraine, allegedly founded in 988 by knyaz (prince) Vladimir the Great (Volodymyr) of Kiev. The first written record, however, dates from 1107.
Initially, it was a small wooden fortress above the Sula River. The fortress quickly grew, and in the 15th or 16th century, it was owned by the powerful Wisniowiecki family. The town was ruled by Magdeburg rights and had a Coat of Arms. In 1596, Lubny was the site of the last battle of Severyn Nalyvaiko against the Poles. In the 17th century the city was one of the largest in the area. In 1638 it had 2,646 inhabitants. Between 1648 and 1781, the town was the headquarters of the Lubny Cossack Regiment.