List of heads of state of the Soviet Union Facts for Kids

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also known as the Soviet Union, had different leaders in charge throughout its history. From 1922 to 1938, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Congress of Soviets was seen as the top government body. Later, from 1938 to 1989, this role was taken by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. These groups acted like a "collective head of state," meaning a group of people shared the top leadership role. The person who was the chairman of these groups performed many official duties, like greeting foreign leaders, but they didn't have much real power according to the country's laws.

The Soviet Union was formed in 1922. However, its first official constitution was adopted in 1924. Before that, the 1918 Constitution of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was used. This early constitution gave the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (CEC) a lot of power. Its chairman was the head of state. The CEC decided on taxes and how money would be shared between the central government and local councils, called soviets. The CEC held the highest power when the main Congress of Soviets was not meeting. In 1938, the CEC and the Congress of Soviets were replaced by the Presidium and the Supreme Soviet.

Under the 1977 Constitution, the Supreme Soviet became the most powerful government body. It was the only group that could make laws. The Presidium would call meetings of the Supreme Soviet twice a year. Special meetings could also be called if a Union Republic asked for one. If there was a disagreement between the two parts of the Supreme Soviet (the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities), the Presidium could try to help them agree. If they still couldn't agree, the Presidium could even dissolve the Supreme Soviet and call for new elections. The Chairman of the Presidium, along with other vice chairmen, were chosen by the members of the Supreme Soviet. However, the Chairman of the Presidium usually had little real power. Most of the power shifted to the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), especially during Joseph Stalin's time.

In 1990, a new position was created: the President. The constitution was changed to say that the President would be chosen by the people through a direct vote. However, the first and only Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, was elected by the Congress of People's Deputies, which had been democratically elected. National elections for President never happened because the Soviet Union broke apart soon after. To be President, a person had to be a Soviet citizen, at least 35 years old, but not older than 65. No one could be President more than twice. The Presidency became the highest and most important office in the Soviet Union. It had more influence than the Premier and even the General Secretary. The President and the Prime Minister shared executive power. The President had many important duties, like working with the Supreme Soviet to choose members of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Prime Minister, however, was in charge of managing economic matters and government appointments.

Leaders of the Soviet Union
- Early Leaders of the Russian Soviet Republic (1917–1922)
- Heads of the Soviet Union (1922–1991)
Vice Presidents of the Soviet Union
See also

Leaders of the Soviet Union

Over the years, eleven different people served as the head of state of the Soviet Union. Three of them, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, and Konstantin Chernenko, died while they were in office. Vasily Kuznetsov held the position temporarily at different times. Four leaders, Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko, and Mikhail Gorbachev, were both the head of state and the leader of the Communist Party at the same time.

The very first head of state was Mikhail Kalinin, who took office in 1922 after the Soviet Union was formed. Kalinin held the position for more than twenty years, which is the longest time anyone served. He passed away shortly after he resigned in 1946. Yuri Andropov served the shortest time as head of state.

Early Leaders of the Russian Soviet Republic (1917–1922)

These leaders were in charge of the Russian Soviet Republic before the Soviet Union was officially formed in 1922.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Congress Meetings
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Started	Ended	Length	Congress Meetings
Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets (1917–1922)
1		Lev Kamenev (1883–1936)	9 November 1917	21 November 1917	12 days	2nd Congress
2		Yakov Sverdlov (1885–1919)	21 November 1917	16 March 1919 †	1 year, 115 days	3rd–6th Congress
—		Mikhail Vladimirsky (1874–1951) Acting	16 March 1919	30 March 1919	14 days	—
3		Mikhail Kalinin (1875–1946)	30 March 1919	30 December 1922	3 years, 275 days	7th–10th Congress

Heads of the Soviet Union (1922–1991)

This table shows the main leaders of the Soviet Union from its creation until its end.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Supreme Soviet Meetings
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Started	Ended	Length	Supreme Soviet Meetings
1	Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Congress of Soviets (1922–1938)
		Mikhail Kalinin (1875–1946)	30 December 1922	12 January 1938	15 years, 13 days	1st–8th Convocation
	Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1938–1989)
		Mikhail Kalinin (1875–1946)	17 January 1938	19 March 1946	8 years, 61 days	1st Convocation
2		Nikolai Shvernik (1888–1970)	19 March 1946	15 March 1953	6 years, 361 days	2nd–3rd Convocation
3		Kliment Voroshilov (1881–1969)	15 March 1953	7 May 1960	7 years, 53 days	3rd–5th Convocation
4		Leonid Brezhnev (1906–1982)	7 May 1960	15 July 1964	4 years, 69 days	5th–6th Convocation
5		Anastas Mikoyan (1895–1978)	15 July 1964	9 December 1965	1 year, 147 days	6th Convocation
6		Nikolai Podgorny (1903–1983)	9 December 1965	16 June 1977	11 years, 189 days	6th–9th Convocation
(4)		Leonid Brezhnev (1906–1982)	16 June 1977	10 November 1982	5 years, 147 days	9th–10th Convocation
—		Vasily Kuznetsov (1901–1990) Acting	10 November 1982	16 June 1983	218 days	10th Convocation
7		Yuri Andropov (1914–1984)	16 June 1983	9 February 1984	238 days	10th Convocation
—		Vasily Kuznetsov (1901–1990) Acting	9 February 1984	11 April 1984	62 days	11th Convocation
8		Konstantin Chernenko (1911–1985)	11 April 1984	10 March 1985	333 days
—		Vasily Kuznetsov (1901–1990)	10 March 1985	27 July 1985	139 days
9		Andrei Gromyko (1909–1989)	27 July 1985	1 October 1988	3 years, 66 days
10		Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–2022)	1 October 1988	25 May 1989	236 days	11th–12th Convocation
	Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (1989–1990)
		Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–2022)	25 May 1989	15 March 1990	294 days	12th Convocation
	President of the Soviet Union (1990–1991)
		Mikhail Gorbachev (1931–2022)	15 March 1990	25 December 1991	1 year, 285 days	12th Convocation

Vice Presidents of the Soviet Union

There have been five individuals who served as the vice head of state. Nikolai Shvernik was the first to hold this position from 1944 to 1946. The role was then removed and brought back in 1977. Vasily Kuznetsov served the longest as vice head of state, for over eight years. Gennady Yanayev held the position for the shortest time.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Supreme Soviet Meetings
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Started	Ended	Length	Supreme Soviet Meetings
First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1944–1946) (1977–1989)
1		Nikolai Shvernik (1888–1970)	4 March 1944	25 June 1946	2 years, 113 days	1st Convocation
2		Vasily Kuznetsov (1901–1990)	7 October 1977	18 June 1986	8 years, 254 days	9th–11th Convocation
3		Pyotr Demichev (1917–2010)	18 June 1986	1 October 1988	2 years, 105 days	11th Convocation
4		Anatoly Lukyanov (1930–2019)	1 October 1988	25 May 1989	236 days	11th–12th Convocation
	Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet (1989–1990)
		Anatoly Lukyanov (1930–2019)	25 May 1989	15 March 1990	294 days	12th Convocation
Vice President of the Soviet Union (1990–1991)
5		Gennady Yanayev (1937–2010)	27 December 1990	21 August 1991	237 days	12th Convocation
—	Office abolished		21 August 1991	26 December 1991	127 days	12th Convocation

List of heads of state of the Soviet Union facts for kids

Contents

Leaders of the Soviet Union

Early Leaders of the Russian Soviet Republic (1917–1922)

Heads of the Soviet Union (1922–1991)

Vice Presidents of the Soviet Union

See also