Dmitriy Ustinov

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Dmitriy Fyodorovich Ustinov (October 17, 1908December 20, 1984) was Defense Minister of the Soviet Union from 1976 until his death. He had previously been head of the defense industry since Stalin appointed him People's Commissar of Armaments in 1941. He also became deputy premier in 1957.

A candidate member of the Politburo since 1965, he did not become a full member until he was Defense Minister, at which time, though he had no prior military career, he was also made a Marshal of the Soviet Union.

Ustinov was widely regarded as the likely conservative candidate to succeed Yuri Andropov as General Secretary of the ruling CPSU. However the appointment of Konstantin Chernenko allowed the reformist forces around Mikhail Gorbachev to further strengthen their hand and eventually it was Gorbachev who succeeded.

On his death the city of Izhevsk was briefly renamed for him, but under Mikhail Gorbachev cities that had been renamed for recent Soviet leaders reverted to their former names.

Ustinov had at least two sons [citation needed] who were leading Soviet scientists in the fields of optical and microwave radar systems

Preceded by:
Andrei Grechko
Minister of Defence of Soviet Union
19761984
Succeeded by:
Sergei Sokolov