Yaroslavl
Russian city north-east of Moscow; YANOS refinery struck by Ukrainian drones, March 2026.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026
A child died in Yaroslavl from a Ukrainian drone. How should Ukraine's deep-strike ethics be judged?
Latest on Yaroslavl
- Where is Yaroslavl Russia?
- Yaroslavl is a city of about 600,000 on the Volga river, roughly 260 km north-east of Moscow. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Was Yaroslavl attacked by Ukraine in 2026?
- Yes. Ukrainian FP-1 drones struck the YANOS refinery in Yaroslavl on 28 March 2026, igniting fires in multiple sections. A child was killed in the city during the attack.Source: Ukrainian and Russian sources
Background
Yaroslavl is a city of around 600,000 in central Russia, roughly 260 km north-east of Moscow on the Volga river. It became a direct casualty location of Ukraine's deep-strike campaign on 28 March 2026, when FP-1 attack drones struck the YANOS oil refinery and fires broke out across at least three sections. A child was killed in Yaroslavl city during the attack, making the incident one of the war's first confirmed deep-strike civilian fatalities at this distance inside Russia.
Yaroslavl was among the refineries cited in Russia's gasoline export ban announcement on 1 April 2026, confirming that the YANOS disruption contributed to a cascade affecting Russian domestic fuel supply. The city has historically been a significant industrial and cultural centre; its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Yaroslavl's position in the energy network — with YANOS receiving Urals crude and distributing refined products across central Russia — makes it a strategic node whose disruption has cascading effects on Moscow and adjacent regions. The March 2026 strikes extend Ukraine's documented reach to roughly 1,100 km from the front line.
