Вологодская губерния
Yashin was born in the northern Russian village of Bludnovo, Nikolsky Uyezd, Vologda Governorate, to a poor peasant family. He finished a teacher's training college and spent some time teaching in a village school. His first poems were published in various district newspapers between 1928-29. His first book of poetry came out in 1934 in Arkhangelsk.