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Who was who in the 1991 coup

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On August 19, 1991, the GKChP, an emergency committee of hard-line communists, attempted a coup d’état to overthrow then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and halt his reform plans.

On August 19, 1991, the GKChP, an emergency committee of hard-line communists, attempted a coup d’état to overthrow then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and halt his reform plans.

Gorbachev was on holiday at a Black Sea resort when the group announced they were seizing power. Former Vice-President Gennady Yanayev was proclaimed acting president. Armored columns of tanks and military vehicles were moved into Moscow but many defected to Boris Yeltsin, Gorbachev’s nemesis and then president of the Russian Soviet Federative Social Republic, the RSFSR. 

The coup collapsed in less than three days, and the plotters were later sent to jail. They were pardoned in February 1994.
The coup paved the way for the fall of the Soviet Union and brought Yeltsin to power. The former Communist party outcast remained president of Russia until 1999.

© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Rodionov / Go to the mediabankOn August 19, 1991, the GKChP, an emergency committee of hard-line communists, attempted a coup d’état to overthrow then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and halt his reform plans.
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On August 19, 1991, the GKChP, an emergency committee of hard-line communists, attempted a coup d’état to overthrow then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and halt his reform plans.
© RIA Novosti . Sergey Guneev / Go to the mediabankVasily Starodubtsev (b. 1931)
Starodubtsev started working at the age of 16 as collective farm worker and became later the chairman of a collective farm in Tula region and the chairman of All-Soviet union collective farm council. He was appointed as People’s Deputy in 1989. Starodubtsev was released from custody in 1992 due to health problems. He was member of the Federation Council (1993-95), the governor of Tula Region (1997-2005) and was elected as member of the State Duma representing the Communist Party (KPRF) in 2007
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Vasily Starodubtsev (b. 1931)
Starodubtsev started working at the age of 16 as collective farm worker and became later the chairman of a collective farm in Tula region and the chairman of All-Soviet union collective farm council. He was appointed as People’s Deputy in 1989. Starodubtsev was released from custody in 1992 due to health problems. He was member of the Federation Council (1993-95), the governor of Tula Region (1997-2005) and was elected as member of the State Duma representing the Communist Party (KPRF) in 2007
© RIA Novosti . Alexei Boitsov / Go to the mediabankBoris Pugo (1937 –1991)
Pugo worked in various Komsomol, Communist Party and Soviet government positions in the Latvian Soviet republic. He also served in the Latvian KGB. Pugo was appointed First Secretary of Latvian Communist party in 1984-88 and the Soviet Interior Minister between 1990 and 1991. He shot his wife and himself as soon as he realized that the coup had failed.
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Boris Pugo (1937 –1991)
Pugo worked in various Komsomol, Communist Party and Soviet government positions in the Latvian Soviet republic. He also served in the Latvian KGB. Pugo was appointed First Secretary of Latvian Communist party in 1984-88 and the Soviet Interior Minister between 1990 and 1991. He shot his wife and himself as soon as he realized that the coup had failed.
© RIA Novosti . Vitaliy Saveliev / Go to the mediabankOleg Baklanov (b. 1932)
Baklanov worked in an instrument engineering factory in Kharkov, Ukraine, and later became chief of the factory. He was appointed as engineering industry minister of USSR in 1983 and Supreme Soviet deputy (1981-91). Included in the post-coup amnesty in 1994. Baklanov is the chairman of the board of governors at the Rosobshemash company.
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Oleg Baklanov (b. 1932)
Baklanov worked in an instrument engineering factory in Kharkov, Ukraine, and later became chief of the factory. He was appointed as engineering industry minister of USSR in 1983 and Supreme Soviet deputy (1981-91). Included in the post-coup amnesty in 1994. Baklanov is the chairman of the board of governors at the Rosobshemash company.
© RIA Novosti . Sergey Guneev / Go to the mediabankVladimir Kryuchkov (1924 –2007)
Kryuchkov worked in the Soviet diplomatic service, stationed in Hungary in 1955-59, and participated in the suppression of Hungarian uprising in 1956. After that he was actively engaged in KGB work, became KGB chairman in 1988 and participated in the decision to dispatch Soviet forces to Afghanistan. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Kryuchkov worked as an FSB counselor in Putin’s reign and wrote several books.
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Vladimir Kryuchkov (1924 –2007)
Kryuchkov worked in the Soviet diplomatic service, stationed in Hungary in 1955-59, and participated in the suppression of Hungarian uprising in 1956. After that he was actively engaged in KGB work, became KGB chairman in 1988 and participated in the decision to dispatch Soviet forces to Afghanistan. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Kryuchkov worked as an FSB counselor in Putin’s reign and wrote several books.
© RIA Novosti . Sergey Guneev / Go to the mediabankDmitry Yazov (b 1923)
Yazov participated in World War II as a volunteer, and later led a motorized rifle regiment. Yasov was sent to Cuba and was on standby during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961. He was appointed Defense Minister of the USSR in 1987 and Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1990. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Yasov became a leading analyst after the general inspectors service was recreated in 2011.
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Dmitry Yazov (b 1923)
Yazov participated in World War II as a volunteer, and later led a motorized rifle regiment. Yasov was sent to Cuba and was on standby during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961. He was appointed Defense Minister of the USSR in 1987 and Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1990. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Yasov became a leading analyst after the general inspectors service was recreated in 2011.
© RIA Novosti . Vyasheslav Runov / Go to the mediabankAlexander Tizyakov (b. 1926)
Tizyakov worked in an instrument engineering factory in Sverdlovsk and became vice president of the Scientific and Industrial Union and later president of the Association of State Enterprises. He was also pardoned in the amnesty in 1994. Tizyakov became cofounder of the Antal instrument engineering firm and an insurance company in 2001. He currently works in the Communist Party in Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk)
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Alexander Tizyakov (b. 1926)
Tizyakov worked in an instrument engineering factory in Sverdlovsk and became vice president of the Scientific and Industrial Union and later president of the Association of State Enterprises. He was also pardoned in the amnesty in 1994. Tizyakov became cofounder of the Antal instrument engineering firm and an insurance company in 2001. He currently works in the Communist Party in Yekaterinburg (formerly Sverdlovsk)
© RIA Novosti . Runov / Go to the mediabankValentin Pavlov (1937 –2003)
Pavlov began his political career in the Finance Ministry, and was appointed Chairman of the State Prices Committee during the Gorbachev Era, and later became Finance Minister (1989 –91). Pavlov initiated the Soviet monetary reform and rise in prices in 1991. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Pavlov was the president of Chasprombank (1994 – 1995) and Promstroybank council (1996-97)
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Valentin Pavlov (1937 –2003)
Pavlov began his political career in the Finance Ministry, and was appointed Chairman of the State Prices Committee during the Gorbachev Era, and later became Finance Minister (1989 –91). Pavlov initiated the Soviet monetary reform and rise in prices in 1991. Included in the amnesty in 1994. Pavlov was the president of Chasprombank (1994 – 1995) and Promstroybank council (1996-97)
© RIA Novosti . Yuri Abramochkin / Go to the mediabankGennady Yanayev (1937 –2010)
After years in local politics, Yanayev rose to prominence as Chairman of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and deputy of the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. He was appointed Vice – President of USSR in 1990. Yanayev led the coup and took over in place of Gorbachev as President of the USSR. He spent the rest of his life working in the Russian tourism academy in the history and international relations department.
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Gennady Yanayev (1937 –2010)
After years in local politics, Yanayev rose to prominence as Chairman of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and deputy of the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. He was appointed Vice – President of USSR in 1990. Yanayev led the coup and took over in place of Gorbachev as President of the USSR. He spent the rest of his life working in the Russian tourism academy in the history and international relations department.
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