The 37-year-old economist killed by a stray bullet while coming to Komar's aid at the barricades
He ran to help Komar, who had jumped onto a BMP. The gunner fired warning shots, but Usov kept running, and a stray bullet struck him.
He was an agricultural economist by training who worked at the Moscow joint venture Ikom, an ordinary citizen until the August 1991 coup. In the early hours of 21 August, at the Tchaikovsky Tunnel, he ran to help Dmitry Komar, who had jumped onto a BMP armored vehicle to cover its observation slits, and was killed by a stray bullet; three days later, President Gorbachev awarded him and the two other victims the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the last ever conferred.
Career Timeline
- 1972Graduated from Stolin Agricultural Technical School, moved to Moscow
- 1978–1980Military service in Navy coastal communications units (Sergeant)
- ~1990–1991Economist, joint venture 'Ikom,' Moscow
- 1991.08.21Killed in the Tchaikovsky Tunnel defending the White House during the August coup