Gagarin (Russian: Гага́рин), known until 1968 as Gzhatsk (Гжатск), is a town and the administrative centre of Gagarinsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Gzhat River, 240 kilometers (150 mi) northeast of Smolensk, the administrative centre of the oblast. Population: 31,721 (2010 census); 28,789 (2002 census); 28,867 (1989 Soviet census).
The town's former name is from that of the Gzhat River, which is of Baltic origin (cf.
