The city of Krasnohrad was founded as a Bilevska fortress in 1731–1733, as part of the Ukrainian line defence fortifications, which ran from the Dnieper to the Donets. The fortress was named after the Russian military garrison that was formed in a town of Belyov (near Tula). In 1784, the fortress was renamed Kostyantynohrad, and in 1797, it received city status.