Nikolai Vasilevich Novikov

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For the Russian writer, see Nikolay Ivanovich Novikov

Nikolai Vasilevich Novikov (Russian: Николай Васильевич Новиков) (February 7, 1903–1989) was a Soviet diplomat born in Saint Petersburg. He graduated from the Oriental Institute there in 1930. In the following years he held various scientific and academic positions, also serving in the Foreign Office in Moscow and Soviet representative in Cairo during World War II. Most notably, he served as ambassador of the Soviet Union to the United States, being named to that post on April 10, 1946, until he was relieved of his duties on October 24, 1947; he had been away from Washington since being recalled to Moscow for consultations on July 26 of that year.

Novikov and his wife had two sons, Yuri (b. 1939) and Nikolai (b. 1943).

In 1990, during Glasnost, some of Novikov's papers from 1946 were released; This revealed the influential "Novikov telegram" or "Novikov report" which was, in part, a reaction to the highly critical telegram of George Kennan (Stalin and Molotov were among the audience of this "top secret" article.) Novikov was ordered to file a report on the US foreign policy and attitudes and he wasted no time in the assertion of Soviet dogmatism as he was quick to make guarantees of US plans for invasion.