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People of the Revolution and the USSR
Activity
Affiliation
Position(set)
Citizenship
Background
Era
People of the Soviet Union
People of the Chinese revolution and the People’s Republic
People of the wider world
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Gherman Stepanovich Titov Герман Степанович Титов
Second human to orbit Earth and builder of Soviet military space systems
Military command · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2000
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Ivan Kuzmich Polozkov Иван Кузьмич Полозков
The conservative apparatchik who founded the Russian republic's Communist Party
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1935–
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Kondrat Zigmundovich Terekh Кондрат Зигмундович Терех
The last Soviet trade minister, formed in consumer cooperatives
Economy, finance and planning · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–
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Wang Hongwen 王洪文
The Shanghai worker-rebel who rose “like a helicopter” to party vice-chairman, youngest of the Gang of Four
Political and party leadership · People’s Republic of China state institutions
1935–1992
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Valery Ivanovich Boldin Валерий Иванович Болдин
The party apparatus gatekeeper who managed Gorbachev's documents, then betrayed him
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1935–2006
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Leonid Vladimirovich Shebarshin Леонид Владимирович Шебаршин
Last chief of Soviet foreign intelligence
Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2012
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Sergei Nikitich Khrushchev Сергей Никитич Хрущёв
Khrushchev's son and Chelomei's guidance-system engineer
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2020
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Valentyna Semenivna Shevchenko Валентина Семенівна Шевченко
Ukrainian SSR head of state during Chernobyl who pushed the evacuation of 526,000 children from Kyiv against Moscow's resistance
Legislature and state representation · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2020
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Viktor Petrovich Bryukhanov Виктор Петрович Брюханов
The first director of Chernobyl who built the plant and was held responsible for its catastrophe
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2021
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Evgeny Pavlovich Velikhov Евгений Павлович Велихов
Soviet physicist who linked fusion science, Chernobyl, and nuclear disarmament
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2024
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Grigore Isidorovich Eremei Grigore Isidorovici Eremei
The final head of Soviet Moldavia's Communist Party
Political and party leadership · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–2024
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Vladimir Nikolayevich Lobov Владимир Николаевич Лобов
The last Chief of the Soviet General Staff, who refused to fire on civilians and twice drafted military reform
Military command · Soviet Union state institutions
1935–
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Georgy Petrovich Razumovsky Георгий Петрович Разумовский
Architect of perestroika cadres, last surviving Politburo member
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1936–
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Grigory Petrovich Kharchenko Григорий Петрович Харченко
Organizational-Party Work deputy chief who witnessed Sumgait, and said 'we were a day late'
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1936–
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Valery Alekseyevich Legasov Валерий Алексеевич Легасов
The Kurchatov chemist who led science at Chernobyl, then left the full truth on tapes before hanging himself
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1936–1988
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Yuli Alexandrovich Kvitsinsky Юлий Александрович Квицинский
Gromyko protégé and arms negotiator remembered for the "Walk in the Woods"
Diplomacy and international organization · Soviet Union state institutions
1936–2010
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Stanislav Ivanovich Gurenko Станислав Иванович Гуренко
Last First Secretary of the Ukrainian Communist Party on the eve of the Soviet dissolution
Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1936–2013
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Grigory Ivanovich Revenko Григорий Иванович Ревенко
From Kiev regional party leader to Gorbachev's last chief of staff
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1936–2014
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Igor Nikolayevich Rodionov Игорь Николаевич Родионов
The general who gave the operational order to clear Rustaveli Avenue
Military command · Soviet Union state institutions
1936–2014
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Pen Sovann ប៉ែន សុវាន
First prime minister of the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party
Political and party leadership · People’s Republic of Kampuchea state institutions
1936–2016
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Vyacheslav Frantsevich Kebich Вячаслаў Францавіч Кебіч
Belarus's first prime minister; co-signed the Belovezh Accords and later testified the Russian delegation alone arrived with a plan
Government and administration · Soviet Union state institutions
1936–2020
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Didier Ratsiraka Didier Ratsiraka
Madagascar’s socialist charter
Government and administration · Madagascar state institutions
1936–2021
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Ali Ahmed Nasser Antar علي أحمد ناصر عنتر
Vice president who twice remade the leadership, killed by a comrade's guards
Political and party leadership · South Yemen state institutions
1937–1986
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Boris Karlovich Pugo Борис Карлович Пуго
From Latvian KGB chief to USSR interior minister, a guardian of order shattered in the coup he backed
Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–1991
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Egon Rudi Ernst Krenz Egon Krenz
The last communist leader of East Germany, who succeeded Honecker, opened the Wall, and fell in 50 days
Political and party leadership · East Germany state institutions
1937–
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Irina Bayanovna Solovyova Ирина Баяновна Соловьёва
Tereshkova's backup cosmonaut, the physically strongest candidate Kamanin judged too reserved for the spotlight
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–
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Mengistu Haile Mariam መንግሥቱ ኃይለ ማርያም
Consolidation of Derg rule
Political and party leadership · Ethiopia state institutions
1937–
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Nikolai Maximovich Fomin Николай Максимович Фомин
The chief engineer who refused to believe the reactor was destroyed and kept pumping water into its ruins
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–
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Viktor Petrovich Polyanichko Виктор Петрович Поляничко
A field enforcer of the Soviet Union's final crisis
Political and party leadership · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1937–1993
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Valentin Sergeyevich Pavlov Валентин Сергеевич Павлов
The last Soviet premier and an August coup participant
Economy, finance and planning · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2003
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Oleg Semyonovich Shenin Олег Семёнович Шенин
The last Politburo member who tried to save the USSR and went to prison for it
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1937–2009
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Gennady Ivanovich Yanayev Геннадий Иванович Янаев
First and only Vice President of the USSR and the face of the August 1991 coup
Legislature and state representation · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2010
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Yuri Dmitrievich Maslyukov Юрий Дмитриевич Маслюков
The last Gosplan generation
Economy, finance and planning · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2010
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Nikolai Yakovlevich Petrakov Николай Яковлевич Петраков
An economist who carried price theory into the transition to a market economy
Scholarship and theory · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1937–2014
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Galina Vladimirovna Semyonova Галина Владимировна Семёнова
Architect of women's and family policy in the perestroika era, the fourth woman ever on the Politburo
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1937–2017
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Vadim Viktorovich Bakatin Вадим Викторович Бакатин
The last KGB chairman, appointed to dismantle it
Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2022
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Viktor Vladimirovich Gerashchenko Виктор Владимирович Геращенко
Central banker of the Soviet collapse and Russian transition
Economy, finance and planning · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2022
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Nikolai Mikhailovich Golushko Николай Михайлович Голушко
The last chairman of the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR, who went on to serve the security services of three states: USSR, Ukraine, and Russia
Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–2025
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Valentin Alexandrovich Kuptsov Валентин Александрович Купцов
The last-generation secretary who rebuilt the Russian Communist Party
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1937–
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Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova Валентина Владимировна Терешкова
The textile-worker 'Chaika,' first woman in space
Science and technology · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–
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Vladimir Makarovich Velichko Владимир Макарович Величко
Technocrat who ran Soviet heavy machine-building in its late decades
Industry and production · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–
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Yegor Semyonovich Stroev Егор Семёнович Строев
Gorbachev's last agriculture Politburo member: operational chief of perestroika farm policy
Agriculture and land policy · Soviet Union state institutions
1937–
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Marien Ngouabi Marien Ngouabi
Founding of the Congolese people’s republic
Political and party leadership · Republic of the Congo state institutions
1938–1977
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Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin Виктор Степанович Черномырдин
Last Soviet gas minister who turned his ministry into Gazprom
Industry and production · Soviet Union state institutions
1938–2010
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Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov Islom Abdugʻaniyevich Karimov
An authoritarian state-builder who made sovereignty his political principle
Government and administration · Uzbekistan state institutions
1938–2016
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Fuad Enver oglu Musayev Fuad Ənvər oğlu Musayev
First Secretary of the Baku Party Committee who blocked buses from entering Baku, shifting the violence to Sumgait
Social movements and organizing · Soviet Union state institutions
1938–2017
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Nina Alexandrovna Andreyeva Нина Александровна Андреева
The Leningrad chemistry lecturer whose 'I Cannot Forsake My Principles' became the manifesto of anti-perestroika forces
Scholarship and theory · Soviet Communist Party and Bolsheviks
1938–2020
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Ayaz Niyazi oghlu Mutalibov Ајаз Нијази оғлу Мүтәллибов
The last Soviet leader caught between a renewed union and independence
Government and administration · Soviet Union state institutions
1938–2022
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Oleg Antonovich Gordievsky Олег Антонович Гордиевский
The highest-ranking KGB officer to defect, and the key source on the 1983 war scare
Security, intelligence and policing · Soviet Union state institutions
1938–2025
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Abdul Fattah Ismail عبد الفتاح إسماعيل
Leader of South Yemen’s Socialist Party
Political and party leadership · South Yemen state institutions
1939–1986