Russia records record number of deaths in fires

One of the causes of the fires could have been strikes by Ukrainian drones.

In the first quarter of 2026, 3,025 people died in fires in Russia—a record for at least the last eight years. This is stated in the statistics of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which drew the attention of “Vestka”.

In order not to miss new texts from “Layout”, subscribe to our telegram channel

Compared to the same period in 2025, the death toll increased by 783 people - almost 35%. Prior to this, the maximum figure was recorded in the first quarter of 2021, when 2,986 people became victims of fires.

The number of victims was also record-breaking. From January to March 2026, 3,103 people were injured in fires—46.7% more than the year before.

In the first quarter, the number of fires itself increased significantly

Also, a record for eight years was the number of fires in general - 94,529. For comparison, in the first quarter of 2025, 65,746 fires occurred, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Russian authorities regularly report fires following drone strikes. In the last 24 hours alone, according to local operational headquarters, industrial facilities caught fire in three regions - the Krasnodar Territory, the Astrakhan Region and Yaroslavl.

In addition, Reuters writes, in March Ukraine intensified attacks on Russian oil and fuel infrastructure: the largest ports in Novorossiysk , Primorsk and Ust-Luga were hit.

Illustration: “Layout”

You can support “Layout” from any country in the world - it is still safe and very important. We really need your support now