Alexey Kuznetsov

Who was Alexey Kuznetsov?

Alexey Alexandrovich Kuznetsov was a Soviet statesman, CPSU functionary, Lieutenant General, member of CPSU Central Committee.

He was Second Secretary to Leningrad CPSU gorkom and obkom, and, during the Siege of Leningrad, helped organize the city's defense. For his work during the siege, he was promoted to First Secretary in 1945.

Zhdanov was thought to want Kuznetsov to replace him as CC Party Chairman. Kuznetsov was also believed to be a possible replacement for Stalin on the latter's death. He was a strong supporter of Stalin, who appointed him to head the security functions of the party, showing how much the Soviet leader trusted him.

Kuznetsov helped Zhdanov to remove Malenkov.

The beginning of Kuznetsov’s fall came when Stalin demoted him and returned him to a minor post in Leningrad. This may have been because Kuznetsov had been digging into Kirov's death - suspicion of Stalin’s involvement in this murder has never been put to rest. Eventually Kuznetsov was arrested, tried and sentenced to death in a secret trial during the Leningrad Affair. He was executed in 1950.