The city was founded by Belgorod Voivod between 1540 and 1627. According to VV Passek (Essay on the history of the Kharkov province), the city was built on the orders of Tsar Ivan the Terrible (i.e. until 1584) on the right bank of the Donets, 120 miles from Belgorod. (Date of foundation is in the historical literature disputes this).