The Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 (Волков-Ярцев ВЯ-23) was a 23 mm (0.91 in) autocannon, used on Soviet aircraft during World War II.

Due to unavailability of Il-2, the first airborne testing was performed using a Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter sold by Germany in 1940.

Its main disadvantages are powerful recoil and very abrupt functioning of the firing and reloading mechanisms which decreased service life and often caused jamming that could not be fixed in mid-air.

The total weight and filling of HE rounds were more than twice that of the 20 mm ammunition used by the ShVAK and Berezin B-20 cannons.

Medium tanks could be defeated if hit into the top of the turret or the engine compartment from under 400 m (1,300 ft) in a greater than 40-degree dive—a very difficult maneuver in Il-2 even under the most ideal conditions compounded by the difficulty of aiming at a small target.