Vyacheslav Molotov

Soviet politician, statesman and diplomat (1890–1986)

Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich Molotov (Russian: Вячесла́в Миха́йлович Мо́лотов; March 9 [O.S. February 25] 1890 in Kukarka – November 8, 1986 in Moscow) was a Soviet politician and diplomat who served as the Premier of the Soviet Union from 1930 to 1941. He was a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he came to power. He worked for Joseph Stalin from 1924 to 1953 when Stalin died, and for Georgy Malenkov from March-September 1953. He worked for Nikita Khrushchev until Khrushchev dismissed him from office in 1956.

Vyacheslav Molotov

Вячеслaв Мoлотов
Official Portrait, c. 1939-46
3rd Premier of the Soviet Union
In office
19 December 1930 – 6 May 1941
Preceded byAlexei Rykov
Succeeded byJoseph Stalin
First Deputy Chairman of the
Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union
In office
16 August 1942 – 29 June 1957
PremierJoseph Stalin
Georgy Malenkov
Nikolai Bulganin
Preceded byNikolai Voznesensky
Succeeded byNikolai Bulganin
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
3 May 1939 – 4 March 1949
PremierJoseph Stalin
Preceded byMaxim Litvinov
Succeeded byAndrey Vyshinsky
In office
5 March 1953 – 1 June 1956
PremierGeorgy Malenkov
Nikolai Bulganin
Preceded byAndrey Vyshinsky
Succeeded byDmitri Shepilov
Second Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Acting
In office
April 1922 – December 1930
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byLazar Kaganovich
Responsible Secretary of the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik)
In office
March 1921 – April 1922
Preceded byNikolay Krestinsky
Succeeded byJoseph Stalin
(as general secretary)
Personal details
Born
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Skryabin

(1890-03-09)9 March 1890
Kukarka, Russian Empire
Died8 November 1986(1986-11-08) (aged 96)
Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
CitizenshipSoviet
NationalityRussian
Political partyCommunist Party of the Soviet Union
Spouse(s)Polina Zhemchuzhina
AwardsOrder of the Badge of Honour
Signature

Molotov was the main Soviet signatory of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. The pact was signed between Germany and the Soviet Union, and both countries promised not to attack each other. The pact lasted about two years until Germany started the invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.

The Molotov Cocktail, which was invented by Finns fighting in the Winter War against the Soviet invasion of Finland, is named after him.

Preceded by
Alexey Rykov
Prime Minister of the Soviet Union
1930–1941
Succeeded by
Joseph Stalin