Leaders of the USSR after Stalin's death. Who was the president of the USSR and the Russian Federation

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Joseph Stalin died on March 5 at 21:50. From March 6 to 9, the country was plunged into mourning. The coffin with the leader’s body was exhibited in Moscow in the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions. About one and a half million people took part in the mourning events.

To maintain public order, troops were deployed to the capital. However, the authorities did not expect such an incredible influx of people wishing to see Stalin off on his last journey. According to various sources, the victims of the crush on the day of the funeral, March 9, were from 300 to 3 thousand people.

"Stalin entered Russian history as a symbol of greatness. The main achievements of the Stalin era were industrialization, victory in the Great Patriotic War and the creation nuclear bomb. The foundation that the leader left allowed the country to achieve nuclear parity with the United States and launch rockets into space,” said Dmitry Zhuravlev, Doctor of Historical Sciences and political scientist, in a conversation with RT.

At the same time, according to the expert, the Soviet people paid a huge price for great achievements during the Stalin era (1924-1953). The most negative phenomena, according to Zhuravlev, were collectivization, political repression, labor camps (the Gulag system) and gross disregard for basic human needs.

The mystery of the leader's death

Stalin was distinguished by a pathological distrust of doctors and neglected their recommendations. Serious deterioration in the leader's health began in 1948. Last thing public speaking Soviet leader took place on October 14, 1952, at which he summed up the results of the 19th Congress of the CPSU.

• Joseph Stalin speaks at the final meeting of the 19th Congress of the CPSU
• RIA News

The last years of his life, Stalin spent a lot of time at his “nearby dacha” in Kuntsevo. On March 1, 1953, the leader was found motionless by state security officers. They reported this to Lavrenty Beria, Georgy Malenkov and Nikita Khrushchev.

No prompt medical assistance was provided to Stalin. Doctors came to examine him only on March 2. What happened in the first days of March at the “nearby dacha” is a mystery for historians. The question of whether the leader’s life could have been saved still remains unanswered.

The son of Nikita Khrushchev is sure that Stalin became “a victim of his own system.” His associates and doctors were afraid to do anything, although it was obvious that the leader was in critical condition. According to official information, Stalin was diagnosed with a stroke. The illness was not announced, but on March 4, the party leadership, apparently anticipating the imminent death of the leader, decided to break the silence.

• A line of people wishing to say goodbye to Joseph Stalin outside the House of Unions, Moscow
• RIA News

“On the night of March 2, 1953, at I.V. Stalin suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, which involved vital areas of the brain, resulting in paralysis of the right leg and right hand with loss of consciousness and speech,” said an article in the Pravda newspaper.

"Similar to a palace coup"

Retired KGB colonel and counterintelligence officer Igor Prelin believes that the leader’s entourage understood the inevitability of his imminent death and were not interested in Stalin’s recovery.

“These people were interested in him (Stalin. —RT) rather left, for two reasons. They feared for their position and well-being, that he would remove them, remove them and repress them. And secondly, of course, they themselves were striving for power. They understood that Stalin's days were numbered. It was clear that this was the final,” Prelin said in an interview.

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The main contenders for the role of leader of the Soviet state were the former head of the NKVD Lavrentiy Beria, deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers Georgy Malenkov, first secretary of the Moscow Regional Committee Nikita Khrushchev and member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, Marshal Nikolai Bulganin.

During Stalin's illness, the party leadership redistributed senior government positions. It was decided that the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, which belonged to the leader, would be taken by Malenkov, Khrushchev would become the first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee (the highest position in the party hierarchy), Beria would receive the portfolio of Minister of Internal Affairs, and Bulganin - Minister of Defense.

Reluctance to save Beria, Malenkov, Khrushchev and Bulganin by everyone possible ways the life of the leader and the redistribution of government posts gave rise to a widespread version of the existence of an anti-Stalin conspiracy. The conspiracy against the leader was objectively beneficial to the party leadership, Zhuravlev believes.

• Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Lavrenty Beria, Matvey Shkiryatov (in the first row from right to left), Georgy Malenkov and Andrei Zhdanov (in the second row from right to left)
• RIA News

“Hypothetically, it was possible that some semblance palace coup, since open opposition to the leader was completely excluded. Nevertheless, the theory of conspiracy and Stalin’s violent death did not receive concrete evidence. Any versions on this matter are private opinions, not based on documentary evidence,” Zhuravlev stated in a conversation with RT.

The collapse of the main contender

The post-Stalin regime in 1953-1954 is often referred to as “collegial management”. Powers in the state were distributed among several party bosses. However, historians agree that under beautiful screen“collegial management” hid the fiercest struggle for absolute leadership.

Malenkov, being the curator of the most important defense projects of the USSR, had close ties with the country's military elite (Marshal Georgy Zhukov is considered one of Malenkov's supporters). Beria had enormous influence on the security agencies - the key institutions of power in the Stalin era. Khrushchev enjoyed the sympathy of the party apparatus and was perceived as a compromise figure. Most weak positions were at Bulganin's.

At the funeral, the first to carry the coffin with the leader out of the House of Trade Unions were Beria (left) and Malenkov (right). On the podium of the mausoleum in which Stalin was buried (in 1961 the leader was reburied near the Kremlin wall), Beria stood in the center, between Malenkov and Khrushchev. This symbolized his dominant position at that time.

Beria united the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of State Security under his authority. On March 19, he replaced almost all the heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the union republics and regions of the RSFSR.

However, Beria did not abuse his power. It is noteworthy that his political program coincided with the democratic initiatives expressed by Malenkov and Khrushchev. Oddly enough, it was Lavrenty Pavlovich who began the review of the criminal cases of those citizens who were accused of anti-Soviet conspiracies.

On March 27, 1953, the Minister of Internal Affairs signed the decree “On Amnesty.” The document allowed for the release from prison of citizens convicted of official and economic crimes. In total, more than 1.3 million people were released from prison, and criminal proceedings were terminated against 401 thousand citizens.

Despite these steps, Beria was strongly associated with the repressions that were carried out during the Stalin era. On June 26, 1953, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was summoned to a meeting of the Council of Ministers and detained, accusing him of espionage, falsification of criminal cases and abuse of power.

His closest associates were caught in sabotage activities. 24 December 1953 Special Judicial Presence Supreme Court The USSR sentenced Beria and his supporters to death penalty. The ex-Minister of Internal Affairs was shot in the bunker of the headquarters of the Moscow Military District. After the death of the main contender for power, about ten functionaries who were part of the “Beria gang” were arrested and convicted.

Triumph of Khrushchev

The elimination of Beria became possible thanks to the alliance of Malenkov and Khrushchev. In 1954, a struggle broke out between the head of the Council of Ministers and the first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee.

• Georgy Malenkov
• RIA News

Malenkov advocated eliminating the excesses of the Stalinist system both in politics and economics. He called for leaving the cult of personality of the leader in the past, improving the situation of collective farmers and focusing on the production of consumer goods.

Malenkov's fatal mistake was indifferent attitude to the party-state apparatus. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers reduced the salaries of officials and repeatedly accused the bureaucracy of “complete neglect of the needs of the people.”

“The main problem of Stalinism for the leaders of the CPSU was that anyone could fall under the steamroller of repression. The party apparatus is tired of this unpredictability. He needed guarantees of a stable existence. This is exactly what Nikita Khrushchev promised. In my opinion, it was this approach that became the key to his victory,” said Zhuravlev.

In January 1955, the head of the USSR government was criticized by Khrushchev and his party comrades for failures in economic policy. On February 8, 1955, Malenkov resigned as head of the Council of Ministers and received the portfolio of Minister of Power Plants, retaining his membership in the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. Malenkov's post was taken by Nikolai Bulganin, and Georgy Zhukov became Minister of Defense.

Such an attitude towards a political rival was intended to emphasize the beginning of a new era, where a gentle attitude towards the Soviet nomenklatura reigns. Nikita Khrushchev became its symbol.

"Hostage of the system"

In 1956, at the 20th Congress of the CPSU, Khrushchev made a famous speech about debunking the cult of personality. The period of his reign is called the Thaw. From the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, hundreds of thousands of political prisoners received freedom, and the labor camp system (GULAG) was completely dismantled.

• Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev greet the participants of the May Day demonstration on the podium of the Mausoleum of V.I. Lenin
• RIA News

“Khrushchev was able to become one of his own for the apparatus. Debunking Stalinism, he said that the leaders of the Bolshevik Party should not have been subject to repression. However, in the end, Khrushchev became a hostage to the management system he himself created,” stated Zhuravlev.

As the expert explained, Khrushchev was excessively harsh when communicating with his subordinates. He traveled a lot around the country and, in personal meetings with the first secretaries of regional committees, subjected them to severe criticism, making, in fact, the same mistakes as Malenkov. In October 1964, the party nomenklatura removed Khrushchev from the post of first secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and chairman of the Council of Ministers.

“Khrushchev took smart steps to become the leader of the USSR for some time. However, he did not intend to radically change the Stalinist system. Nikita Sergeevich limited himself to correcting the most obvious shortcomings of his predecessor,” noted Zhuravlev.

• First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Nikita Khrushchev
• RIA News

According to the expert, the key problem of the Stalinist system was the requirement of constant labor and combat feats from Soviet man. Most of the projects of Stalin and Khrushchev benefited the USSR, but the personal needs of citizens were given catastrophically little attention.

“Yes, under Khrushchev the elite and society breathed more freely. However, man still remained a means to achieve grandiose goals. People are tired of the endless pursuit of records, they are tired of calls for self-sacrifice and the expectation of the onset of a communist paradise. This problem was one of the key reasons for the subsequent collapse of Soviet statehood,” concluded Zhuravlev.

Stalin's death on March 5, 1953 contributed to the beginning of a struggle for power within the CPSU party. This struggle continued until 1958.

The struggle for power after Stalin on initial stage was fought between Melenkov and Beria. Both of them spoke out in favor of the fact that the functions of power should be transferred from the hands of the CPSU to the state. The struggle for power after Stalin between these two people lasted only until June 1953, but it was during this short historical period that the first wave of criticism of Stalin’s personality cult occurred. For members of the CPSU, the coming to power of Beria or Malenkov meant a weakening of the party’s role in governing the country, since this point was actively promoted by both Beria and Malenkov. It was for this reason that Khrushchev, who at that time headed the Central Committee of the CPSU, began to look for ways to remove from power, first of all, Beria, who he saw as the most dangerous opponent. Members of the CPSU Central Committee supported Khrushchev in this decision. As a result, on June 26, Beria was arrested. This happened at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers. Soon Beria was declared an enemy of the people and an opponent of the Communist Party. The inevitable punishment followed - execution.

The struggle for power after Stalin continued into the second stage (summer 1953 - February 1955). Khrushchev, who had removed Beria from his path, now became Malenkov's main political rival. In September 1953, the Congress of the CPSU Central Committee approved Khrushchev as General Secretary of the party. The problem was that Khrushchev did not hold any government positions. At this stage of the struggle for power, Khrushchev secured the support of the majority in the party. As a result, Khrushchev’s position in the country became noticeably stronger, while Malenkov lost ground. This was largely due to the events of December 1954. At this time, Khrushchev organized a trial against the leaders of the MGB, who were accused of forging documents in the “Leningrad case.” Malenkov was severely compromised as a result of this process. As a result of this process, Bulganin removed Malenkov from the post he held (head of government).

The third stage, in which struggle for power after Stalin,began in February 1955 and continued until March 1958. At this stage, Malenkov united with Molotov and Kaganovich. The united “opposition” decided to take advantage of the fact that they had a majority in the party. At the next congress, which took place in the summer of 1957, the post of first secretary of the party was eliminated. Khrushchev was appointed Minister of Agriculture. As a result, Khrushchev demanded the convening of the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, since, according to the party charter, only this body could make such decisions. Khrushchev, taking advantage of the fact that he was the party secretary, personally selected the composition of the Plenum. The overwhelming majority of people who supported Khrushchev turned out to be there. As a result, Molotov, Kaganovich and Malenkov were dismissed. This decision was made by the Plenum of the Central Committee, arguing that all three were engaged in anti-party activities.

The struggle for power after Stalin was actually won by Khrushchev. The party secretary understood how important the post of chairman of the council of ministers was in the state. Khrushchev did everything to take this post, since Bulganin, who held this position, openly supported Malenkov in 1957. In March 1958, the formation of a new government began in the USSR. As a result, Khrushchev achieved his appointment to the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers. At the same time, he retained the position of First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. In fact, this meant Khrushchev's victory. The struggle for power after Stalin was over.

Historians call the dates of Stalin's reign from 1929 to 1953. Joseph Stalin (Dzhugashvili) was born on December 21, 1879. Many contemporaries of the Soviet era associate the years of Stalin’s reign not only with victory over Nazi Germany and an increase in the level of industrialization of the USSR, but also with numerous repressions of the civilian population.

During Stalin's reign, about 3 million people were imprisoned and sentenced to death. And if we add to them those sent into exile, dispossessed and deported, then the victims among the civilian population in the Stalin era can be counted at about 20 million people. Now many historians and psychologists are inclined to believe that Stalin’s character was greatly influenced by the situation within the family and his upbringing in childhood.

The emergence of Stalin's tough character

It is known from reliable sources that Stalin’s childhood was not the happiest and most cloudless. The leader's parents often argued in front of their son. The father drank a lot and allowed himself to beat his mother in front of little Joseph. The mother, in turn, took out her anger on her son, beat and humiliated him. The unfavorable atmosphere in the family greatly affected Stalin's psyche. Even as a child, Stalin understood a simple truth: whoever is stronger is right. This principle became the future leader’s motto in life. He was also guided by him in governing the country.

In 1902, Joseph Vissarionovich organized a demonstration in Batumi, this step was his first in political career. A little later, Stalin became the Bolshevik leader, and his circle of best friends includes Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (Ulyanov). Stalin fully shares Lenin's revolutionary ideas.

In 1913, Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili first used his pseudonym - Stalin. From that time on, he became known by this last name. Few people know that before the surname Stalin, Joseph Vissarionovich tried on about 30 pseudonyms that never caught on.

Stalin's reign

The period of Stalin's reign begins in 1929. Almost the entire reign of Joseph Stalin was accompanied by collectivization, mass death of civilians and famine. In 1932, Stalin adopted the “three ears of corn” law. According to this law, a starving peasant who stole ears of wheat from the state was immediately subject to capital punishment - execution. All saved bread in the state was sent abroad. This was the first stage of industrialization of the Soviet state: the purchase of modern foreign-made equipment.

During the reign of Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, massive repressions of the peaceful population of the USSR were carried out. The repressions began in 1936, when the post of People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR was taken by N.I. Yezhov. In 1938, on the orders of Stalin, his close friend Bukharin was shot. During this period, many residents of the USSR were exiled to the Gulag or shot. Despite all the cruelty of the measures taken, Stalin's policy was aimed at raising the state and its development.

Pros and cons of Stalin's rule

Minuses:

• strict board policy:
• the almost complete destruction of senior army ranks, intellectuals and scientists (who thought differently from the USSR government);
• repression of wealthy peasants and the religious population;
• the widening “gap” between the elite and the working class;
• oppression of the civilian population: payment for labor in food instead of monetary remuneration, working day up to 14 hours;
• propaganda of anti-Semitism;
• about 7 million starvation deaths during the period of collectivization;
• the flourishing of slavery;
• selective development of sectors of the economy of the Soviet state.

Pros:

• creation of a protective nuclear shield in the post-war period;
• increasing the number of schools;
• creation of children's clubs, sections and circles;
• space exploration;
• reduction in prices for consumer goods;
• low prices for utilities;
• development of industry of the Soviet state on the world stage.

During the Stalin era it was formed social system USSR, social, political and economic institutions appeared. Joseph Vissarionovich completely abandoned the NEP policy and, at the expense of the village, carried out the modernization of the Soviet state. Thanks to the strategic qualities of the Soviet leader, the USSR won the Second World War. The Soviet state began to be called a superpower. The USSR joined the UN Security Council. The era of Stalin's rule ended in 1953. He was replaced as Chairman of the USSR Government by N. Khrushchev.

Over the 69 years of the existence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, several people became the head of the country. The first ruler of the new state was Vladimir Ilyich Lenin ( real name Ulyanov), who led the Bolshevik Party during the October Revolution. Then the role of head of state actually began to be performed by a person who held the position of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee (Central Committee of the Communist Party Soviet Union).

IN AND. Lenin

The first significant decision of the new Russian government was to refuse to participate in the bloody world war. Lenin managed to achieve it, despite the fact that some party members were against concluding peace on unfavorable terms (Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty). Having saved hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of lives, the Bolsheviks immediately put them at risk in another war - a civil one. The fight against interventionists, anarchists and White Guards, as well as other opponents of Soviet power, brought quite a few casualties.

In 1921, Lenin initiated the transition from the policy of war communism to the New Economic Policy (NEP), which contributed to the rapid restoration of the country's economy and national economy. Lenin also contributed to the establishment of one-party rule in the country and the formation of the Union socialist republics. The USSR in the form in which it was created did not satisfy Lenin’s requirements, however, significant changes he did not have time to take action.

In 1922, hard work and the consequences of the assassination attempt on him by Socialist-Revolutionary Fanny Kaplan in 1918 made themselves felt: Lenin became seriously ill. He took less and less part in governing the state and other people took the leading roles. Lenin himself spoke with alarm about his possible successor, Party General Secretary Stalin: “Comrade Stalin, having become General Secretary, concentrated immense power in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be able to use this power carefully enough.” On January 21, 1924, Lenin died, and Stalin, as expected, became his successor.

One of the main directions to which V.I. Lenin paid great attention to the development of the Russian economy. At the direction of the first leader of the country of the Soviets, many factories for the production of equipment were organized, and the completion of the AMO automobile plant (later ZIL) in Moscow began. Lenin paid great attention to the development of domestic energy and electronics. Perhaps, if fate had given the “leader of the world proletariat” (as Lenin was often called) more time, he would have raised the country to a high level.

I.V. Stalin

Lenin’s successor Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (real name Dzhugashvili), who in 1922 took the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, pursued a more rigid policy. Now the name of Stalin is associated mainly with the so-called “Stalinist repressions” of the 30s, when several million residents of the USSR were deprived of property (the so-called “dekulakization”), were imprisoned or were executed by political reasons(for condemning the current government).
Indeed, the years of Stalin's rule left a bloody mark on the history of Russia, but there were also positive features of this period. During this time, from an agricultural country with a secondary economy, the Soviet Union turned into a world power with enormous industrial and military potential. The development of the economy and industry took its toll during the Great Patriotic War, which, although costly to the Soviet people, was still won. Already during the hostilities, it was possible to establish good supplies for the army and create new types of weapons. After the war, many cities that had been destroyed almost to the ground were restored at an accelerated pace.

N.S. Khrushchev

Shortly after Stalin's death (March 1953) general secretary The Central Committee of the CPSU became (September 13, 1953) Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev. This leader of the CPSU became famous, perhaps, most of all for his extraordinary actions, many of which are still remembered. So, in 1960, at the UN General Assembly, Nikita Sergeevich took off his shoe and, threatening to show Kuzka’s mother, began banging on the podium with it in protest against the speech of the Filipino delegate. The period of Khrushchev's reign is associated with the development of the arms race between the USSR and the USA (the so-called “Cold War”). In 1962, the deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba almost led to a military conflict with the United States.

Among the positive changes that occurred during the reign of Khrushchev, one can note the rehabilitation of victims of Stalin’s repressions (having taken the post of General Secretary, Khrushchev initiated the removal of Beria from his posts and his arrest), the development Agriculture through the development of unplowed lands (virgin lands), as well as the development of industry. It was during the reign of Khrushchev that the first launch of an artificial Earth satellite and the first human flight into space occurred. The period of Khrushchev's reign has an unofficial name - the “Khrushchev Thaw”.

L.I. Brezhnev

Khrushchev was replaced as General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee by Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (October 14, 1964). For the first time, a change of party leader was made not after his death, but by removal from office. The era of Brezhnev's rule went down in history as “stagnation”. The fact is that the Secretary General was a staunch conservative and an opponent of any reforms. Continued " cold war", which was the reason that most of the resources went to the military industry to the detriment of other areas. Therefore, during this period, the country practically stopped in its technical development and began to lose to other leading powers in the world (excluding the military industry). In 1980, the XXII Summer Olympic Games, which were boycotted by some countries (USA, Germany and others), in protest against the introduction Soviet troops to Afghanistan.

During Brezhnev's time, some attempts were made to defuse tensions in relations with the United States: American-Soviet treaties on the limitation of strategic offensive weapons were concluded. But these attempts were dashed by the introduction of Soviet troops into Afghanistan in 1979. At the end of the 80s, Brezhnev was actually no longer capable of ruling the country and was only considered the leader of the party. On November 10, 1982, he died at his dacha.

Yu. V. Andropov

On November 12, Khrushchev’s place was taken by Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov, who previously headed the State Security Committee (KGB). He achieved sufficient support among party leaders, therefore, despite the resistance of Brezhnev's former supporters, he was elected General Secretary and then Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Having taken the helm, Andropov proclaimed a course for socio-economic transformations. But all the reforms boiled down to administrative measures, strengthening discipline and exposing corruption in high circles. In foreign policy confrontation with the West only intensified. Andropov sought to strengthen personal power: in June 1983 he took the post of chairman of the presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, while remaining general secretary. However, Andropov did not stay in power for long: he died on February 9, 1984 due to kidney disease, without having time to make significant changes in the life of the country.

K.U. Chernenko

On February 13, 1984, the post of head of the Soviet state was taken by Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko, who was considered a contender for the post of General Secretary even after Brezhnev’s death. Chernenko held this important post at the age of 72, being seriously ill, so it was clear that this was only a temporary figure. During Chernenko's reign, a number of reforms were undertaken, which were never completed. logical conclusion. On September 1, 1984, Knowledge Day was celebrated for the first time in the country. On March 10, 1985, Chernenko died. His place was taken by Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev, who later became the first and last president THE USSR.

The General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee is the highest position in the hierarchy of the Communist Party and, by and large, the leader of the Soviet Union. In the history of the party there were four more positions of the head of its central apparatus: Technical Secretary (1917-1918), Chairman of the Secretariat (1918-1919), Executive Secretary (1919-1922) and First Secretary (1953-1966).

The people who filled the first two positions were mainly engaged in paper secretarial work. The position of Executive Secretary was introduced in 1919 to perform administrative activities. The post of General Secretary, established in 1922, was also created purely for administrative and personnel work within the party. However, the first Secretary General Joseph Stalin, using the principles of democratic centralism, managed to become not only the leader of the party, but the entire Soviet Union.

At the 17th Party Congress, Stalin was not formally re-elected to office. Secretary General. However, his influence was already enough to maintain leadership in the party and the country as a whole. After Stalin's death in 1953, Georgy Malenkov was considered the most influential member of the Secretariat. After his appointment to the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, he left the Secretariat and Nikita Khrushchev, who was soon elected First Secretary of the Central Committee, took the leading positions in the party.

Not limitless rulers

In 1964, the opposition within the Politburo and the Central Committee removed Nikita Khrushchev from the post of First Secretary, electing Leonid Brezhnev in his place. Since 1966, the position of the party leader was again called the General Secretary. In Brezhnev's times, the power of the General Secretary was not unlimited, since members of the Politburo could limit his powers. The leadership of the country was carried out collectively.

Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko ruled the country according to the same principle as the late Brezhnev. Both were elected to the party's top post while their health was failing and served as general secretary. a short time. Until 1990, when the Communist Party's monopoly on power was eliminated, Mikhail Gorbachev led the state as General Secretary of the CPSU. Especially for him, in order to maintain leadership in the country, the post of President of the Soviet Union was established in the same year.

After the August 1991 putsch, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary. He was replaced by his deputy, Vladimir Ivashko, who served as Acting Secretary General for only five years. calendar days, until that moment, Russian President Boris Yeltsin suspended the activities of the CPSU.

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