The technocrat who rose from defense-plant apprentice to Politburo overseer of the military-industrial complex
During the Great Patriotic War, the eighteen-year-old Zaikov, working twelve-hour shifts in a defense plant, ran away to the front three times. Each time he was sent back to the factory — and so his path as a defense-industry man began.
A factory-floor technocrat who rose from apprentice die-maker in Leningrad's defense plants to Politburo member and CC Secretary (1985–1990) overseeing the entire Soviet military-industrial complex. Inheriting the defense portfolio from Grigory Romanov, he chaired the Politburo commission on nuclear and conventional arms reduction and was one of a handful of senior officials fully aware of the Soviet Union's prohibited biological weapons programme. After Boris Yeltsin's ouster in 1987 he concurrently served as First Secretary of the Moscow City Party Committee. Awarded Hero of Socialist Labour (1971) for directing the defense electronics enterprises Novator and Leninets, he embodied the pragmatist industrial manager elevated to the highest party ranks.
Career Timeline
- 1940–45Apprentice die-maker and fitter at Leningrad defense plants; tried to volunteer for the front three times
- 1961–71Director of the Leningrad State Plant 'Novator'
- 1974–76General Director of the scientific-production association 'Leninets'
- 1976–83Chairman of the Leningrad City Executive Committee
- 1983–85First Secretary, Leningrad Oblast Committee
- 1985–90CC Secretary for defense industry and machine-building; Politburo member (1986–90)
- 1987–89First Secretary, Moscow City Committee (concurrent)