russian ukrainian february february january soviet statesman cold war served secretary chairman replaced chairman general secretary year lost seat forced resign active politics born city ukrainian working class family graduated local worker school member like friend ally climbed soviet hierarchy industrial ladder delivering production goals set charge centrally planned economy second secretary resignation voted office chairman premier fall favour second powerful figure soviet_union removal head state early life born february february russian_empire ukrainian working class family started work age student mechanical workshops russian revolution founders served secretary graduated local workers school member following graduation started working sugar industry promoted deputy chief engineer promoted chief engineer sugar end deputy people food industry ukrainian year appointed deputy people food industry soviet_union ukraine national politics director great patriotic war world war liberation ukraine hands nazi_germany soviet control ukraine orders ukrainian soviet ukrainian post war years regained old office deputy people food industry ukrainian later appointed permanent representative april secretary elevated second secretary secretary role worked ukrainian economy destroyed war years worked increase rate industrial agricultural production improve people welfare paid particular attention improving party organisation new member political bureau risen prominence soviet hierarchy member communist_party soviet_union protégé close companion travelled united_nations headquarters acted soviet czechoslovakia canada yugoslavia beliefs strongly influenced rule liberal members soviet leadership liberal premier briefly fell favor blamed bad corn yields ukrainian bad weather claimed crops stolen reported agricultural output increased leadership ukrainian doubled ukraine supply grain state previous year handling agriculture world commentators saw potential heirs according historian author soviet_union eve began starting conspiracy found chosen potential successor coup evidently took surprise seeing left moscow october days coup initiated head state appointment collective leadership remove secretary premier appealed blaming economic failures accusing behavior influenced allies members voted remove office aftermath removal collective leadership formed headed secretary head government head state head state served party second secretary charge capacity threatened position secretary chose easily turned power base party allied chairman oppose position constantly threatened allies article february newspaper criticised organisation previously headed management economy indirectly criticising article raised doubts qualifications leading member soviet leadership launched counterattack speech soviet socialist republic criticised soviet leadership heavy industrial policy turned regret life instead offended conservative wing leadership matters worse kept outside conflict sided called views later lost seat december replaced chairman removal signalled end wish assume majority members conservative communists remained liberal minded members liberal minded members included soviet leadership 1960s led active held speeches moscow went numerous state visits expense popularity speculation soviet society trying replace premier general secretary increasing presence late 1960s 24th party congress respective positions clear major player soviet politics collective leadership eventually left powerless late 1970s close control diplomatic protocol outbreak day war delivered intelligence report egyptian vice president claimed falsely israeli troops syrian border year engaged dialogue pope result greater roman_catholic_church eastern_europe went state visits second went visit canada visited yugoslavia frequently paid visits vietnam war discuss soviet vietnamese foreign relations visited finland afghanistan early reason simple ranking soviet diplomatic protocol september tried form opposition according time speculation moscow didn succeed removing establish modelled institutions found example post chairman state party job ussr unable didn try remove head state post count votes seven members opposed granting power removing fact mean end collective leadership plotting position grew stronger able win support communists liberal minded policy yugoslavia military deals world forcing concession west_germany berlin negotiations later tenure count support constantly conflict policy issues actually agreed find minority forced follow decisions pleased position leadership pleased extension powers given head state saw little threat position resolution called expansion party activities soviets position consolidated early 1970s weaken position chairman giving supreme soviet executive powers help managed subordinate changes threatened later order look soviet constitution find way weaken position turned position head state meant fact block measures taken powers come solution law party leader leader government apparatus soviet constitution drafted weaken position making law party leader fact leader government draft dealt leading role party clear supremacy soviet society approved soviet leadership approval soviet constitution considered death removal removal office notable example power transfer late according removal second powerful man soviet_union ahead premier post chairman acquired powers tenure changed largely honorary office second important office ussr fall decision remove took world surprise unanimous vote taken proposed removing vote taken surprise immediately vote got seat instead sit ordinary members voted retained position chairman removal disappeared soviet media soviet media told soviet people retired stance producing consumer goods finally lost june advanced age regarded old carry functions head state orders established new post deputy chairman office equivalent post vice president age unanimously approved deputy chairman retirement death recognition life resignation documented mention major soviet media meeting president finland explanation given soviet authorities retained seat downfall seen 61st anniversary reception october revolution grand palace november japanese ambassador soviet_union spoke looked embarrassed presence according soon incident lost seat removed painting soviet leaders red square stood died cancer january buried moscow cemetery high standing soviet officials honoured awards awarded orders order medals awarded foreign state prizes finland
Nikolai Podgorny