Viktor Grishin

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Viktor Grishin is also the name of the current head of the State Duma Committee on Federal Matters and Regional Policy of Russia

Viktor Vasilyevich Grishin (Ви́ктор Васи́льевич Гри́шин) (1914?-May 25, 1992) was a Soviet communist and member of the Politburo.

He was known for his hardline stance on issues and rose to be the leader of the Communist Party in the city of Moscow (1967–1985). A foe of Konstantin Chernenko, Grishin dragged the deathly ill leader out to vote in early 1985. Grishin lost the election to the General Secretary post in 1985, yet became a supporter, albeit lukewarm, of Mikhail Gorbachev, his rival in the election. Ironically, Gorbachev removed Grishin from office in 1985.

In an interview with the conservative Russian newspaper Molodaya Gvardiya in 1991, he claims that the only reason he lost was because "younger Party leaders, such as Yegor Ligachev, supported Gorbachev because they feared that if I had become Party boss, they would lose their posts."

Viktor Grishin died on May 25, 1992 at the age of 78.