Starobesheve Raion (Ukrainian: Старобешівський район) was one of the raions of Donetsk Oblast, located in southeastern Ukraine. Its administrative center was the urban-type settlement of Starobesheve.The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Donetsk Oblast to eight. The last estimate of the raion population, reported by the Ukrainian government, was 49,313 (2020 est.).

Since 2014, the raion has not been under control of the Ukrainian government and has been controlled by the Donetsk People's Republic militant group , which continues using it as an administrative unit.

Demographics

According to the 2001 Ukrainian Census:

Ethnicity
Ukrainians	29,170	52.1%
Russians	17,761	31.7%
Greeks	7,491	13.4%
Belarusians	397	0.7%
Azerbaijanis	241	0.4%
Germans	171	0.3%
Armenians	122	0.2%