Gennady Yanayev facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gennady Yanayev Генна́дий Ива́нович Яна́ев
Yanayev in 1993
Acting President of the Soviet Union (disputed)
In office 19 August 1991 – 21 August 1991
Preceded by	Mikhail Gorbachev
Succeeded by	Mikhail Gorbachev
Vice President of the Soviet Union
In office 27 December 1990 – 21 August 1991
President	Mikhail Gorbachev
Preceded by	Anatoly Lukyanov (as vice head of state)
Succeeded by	None (post abolished)
Chairman of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions
In office April – July 1990
Preceded by	Stepan Shalaev
Succeeded by	None (post abolished)
Full member of the 28th Politburo
In office 14 July 1990 – 31 January 1991
Secretary of the 28th Central Committee
In office 14 July 1990 – 31 January 1991
Personal details
Born	(1937-08-26)26 August 1937 Perevoz, Gorky Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	24 September 2010(2010-09-24) (aged 73) Moscow, Russia
Cause of death	Lung cancer
Political party	Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1962–1991)

Gennady Ivanovich Yanayev (Russian: Генна́дий Ива́нович Яна́ев; 26 August 1937 – 24 September 2010) was an important politician in the Soviet Union. He is best known for being the first and only Vice President of the Soviet Union. His political career happened during the time of several Soviet leaders, including Mikhail Gorbachev.

Yanayev was born in a town called Perevoz. He started in local politics and later became the Chairman of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions. This important role helped him get a seat in the Politburo in 1990.

In December 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev helped Yanayev become the first Vice President of the Soviet Union. However, Yanayev began to worry about the changes Gorbachev was making. He joined a group called the Gang of Eight. This group tried to remove Gorbachev from power in August 1991. During this short event, Yanayev became the acting President of the Soviet Union. The attempt failed after three days. Yanayev was arrested for his part in the events, but he was later forgiven in 1994. He then worked in the Russian tourism industry until he passed away in 2010.

Early Life and Political Start

Gennady Yanayev was born on August 26, 1937, in Perevoz. After finishing his studies at the Gorky Institute of Agriculture in 1959, he worked in agriculture. He became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) in 1962.

From 1963 to 1968, he was a leader in the Komsomol, which was a youth organization. He then led the Committee of Youth Organisations for 12 years. Later, he worked for the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. In 1986, he became involved with the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions. He became the chairman of this group in April 1990. This position helped him gain a seat in the powerful Politburo.

Becoming Vice President

On December 27, 1990, Mikhail Gorbachev suggested Yanayev to be the Vice President of the Soviet Union. Yanayev was not Gorbachev's first choice for the job. The Supreme Soviet, which was the Soviet parliament, first rejected Yanayev. But Gorbachev insisted, and Yanayev was approved in a second vote.

After he was elected, Yanayev stated, "I am a Communist to the depths of my soul." In early 1991, Yanayev led a group that worked on forming a new government. He also became the first Soviet official since 1917 to talk with an independent trade union. This showed his role in trying to solve problems in the country.

The August Coup Attempt

Soon after becoming Vice President, Yanayev joined a group of conservative Communist politicians. This group included the head of the KGB, Vladimir Kryuchkov. They wanted to convince Gorbachev to declare a state of emergency.

Gorbachev had proposed a new treaty to reorganize the Soviet Union into a new, looser group of states. He then went on vacation. Believing this treaty would break up the USSR, the State Committee on the State of Emergency put Gorbachev under house arrest on August 19, 1991. This was just one day before the treaty was supposed to be signed.

On that same day, the official news agency announced that Gorbachev was unable to perform his duties due to health reasons. It stated that Vice President Gennady Yanayev had taken over as acting President. The group claimed that the country was facing many problems, like ethnic tensions and chaos. They said these issues threatened the existence of the Soviet Union. Yanayev also said that the country was close to collapsing.

When reporters asked about Gorbachev, Yanayev said he was "on vacation" and "undergoing treatment." He claimed Gorbachev was "very tired" and needed time to recover. On August 19, people in Moscow gathered around the White House to protest. Yanayev declared a state of emergency in Moscow.

The coup attempt lasted only three days. On August 21, the Soviet parliament declared that Gorbachev's removal and Yanayev's takeover were illegal. Yanayev and the other leaders of the coup were removed from their positions. Yanayev was later arrested for his part in the events. In an interview in 2008, Yanayev said he regretted becoming acting President. He claimed that other conservative members pressured him to sign the documents. He described the events of 1991 as a burden for the rest of his life.

Later Life and Passing

Gennady Yanayev was released from jail in January 1993. He received a pardon in 1994, meaning he was officially forgiven for his actions. After this, he worked as the head of the Department of History and International Relations at the Russian International Academy of Tourism.

He became ill in September 2010 and passed away on September 24, 2010. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) shared their sadness with his family. Gennady Zyuganov, the leader of the CPRF, said that Yanayev "lived an interesting, complicated and worthy life." Yanayev was buried at the Troyekurovskoye Cemetery in Moscow. He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

Awards and Honors

• Order of the Red Banner of Labour, twice
• Order of the Badge of Honour, twice

See also

In Spanish: Guennadi Yanáyev para niños

• Index of Soviet Union-related articles