The last GlavPUR chief who stood to defend the military political organs through perestroika
He declared: "My principles are not changed like banknotes. I will not be the gravedigger of the political organs" — choosing resignation over the liquidation of the military political apparatus.
A career political officer who spent his entire working life in the Soviet armed forces' political apparatus, Lizichev was chosen by Gorbachev in 1985 to succeed Alexei Yepishev as Chief of the Main Political Directorate and lead perestroika in the military. He initially pursued renewal of the political organs, but when reform veered toward anti-army propaganda and the liquidation of the political officer system itself, he broke openly with the General Secretary. Declaring "My principles are not changed like banknotes — I will not be the gravedigger of the political organs," he chose resignation over complicity, becoming the last GlavPUR chief to defend the institution of party control over the armed forces before the Soviet collapse.
Career Timeline
- 1949Graduated Cherepovets Infantry School, began Komsomol political work
- 1957Graduated Lenin Military-Political Academy (correspondence)
- 1960–1965Assistant to GlavPUR Chief for Komsomol work (Colonel)
- 1965–1971Political Dept Chief, 13th Guards Army Corps → First Deputy Chief, Moscow MD Political Directorate (Major General)
- 1971–1980First Deputy Chief, GSVG Political Directorate → Chief, Transbaikal MD Political Directorate (Lt General)
- 1980–1985Deputy Chief of GlavPUR (Colonel General) → Chief of Political Directorate, GSVG
- 1985–1990Chief of GlavPUR, Soviet Army and Navy (Army General, 1986)
- 1990–1992Group of General Inspectors, Ministry of Defence; retired