The
stanitsa of Labinskaya was founded in autumn of 1841. It was named after the
Bolshaya Laba River on which it stands. Its history is closely connected with the history of the
Caucasian War and establishment of a special strategic defense line on the Bolshaya Laba River. The
stanitsa was originally one of the fortresses that were founded along the southern border of the Russian Empire neighboring the Caucasus mountains and were protected by the
Don Cossacks who eventually became the first settlers of Labinskaya. Later, many peasants belonging to the Cossack social class, both Russians and Ukrainians, moved to Labinskaya from the inner territories of Russia. With a population over 30,000 people, Labinskaya soon became a big trade center among the neighboring
stanitsas owing to its favorable location in the river valley. In 1913, a railway station was built in Labinskaya that integrated it in the railway system of the Russian Empire. According to the 1926 census, the population was 63.7% Russian, 28.5% Ukrainian, 2.9% Armenian, and 1.6% Belarusian. From August 1942 to January 1943, Labinskaya was occupied by the
Germans. The residents were resisting the enemy—Labinsk Fighter Squadron was established in the
stanitsa with Ivan Konstantinov appointed as the Commander-in-Chief. After the war, one of the central streets was named after him. On January 25, 1943, Labinskaya was liberated from the Nazi occupation. In the post-war years, Labinskaya was quickly rebuilt and renovated. In 1947, the
stanitsa was granted town status and renamed Labinsk. ==Administrative and municipal status==