Vasili Kuznetsov

Who was Vasili Kuznetsov?

Vasili Vasilyevich Kuznetsov, Russian Soviet political figure; acting chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1982 to 1983, for a second time in 1984, and for a third time in 1985.

Kuznetsov was born in Sofilovka, Kostroma Governorate, Russian Empire. He joined the Communist party in May 1927. He took a break of his studies of engineering when he went to the United States for metal processing studies from 1931 to 1933.

Kuznetsov held a variety of government and Communist Party positions beginning in 1940. He was a Chairman of the Soviet of Nationalities 12 March 1946–12 March 1950. In 1955 he became first deputy minister of foreign affairs. On 7 October 1977 he was elected First deputy chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet, a position he held until 18 June 1986. Upon the deaths of Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko, Kuznetsov became acting chairman of the Presidium until the election of a successor.

He retired in 1986 and died in Moscow on 5 June 1990.