Valentin Varennikov

Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov ( _ru. Валентин Иванович Варенников) (born December 15, 1923) is a Soviet/Russian general and politician, best known for being one of the planners and leaders of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, as well as one of the instigators of the Soviet coup attempt of 1991.

Early life

Valentin Varennikov was born in a poor Cossack family in Krasnodar.

Military career

He became a junior officer of the Red Army and fought in the Battle of Stalingrad as well as in the successful campaigns to retake Ukraine and Belarus from the German army. Varennikov finished the Great Patriotic War in the Battle of Berlin as one of the commanders of the Soviet soldiers who captured the Reichstag.

Varennikov stayed in East Germany as an officer of the Soviet troops, stationed there until 1950.

In 1954 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow and was (appointed as commander of northern military district in charge of the Soviet ground troops in the Polar region- "don't think this is correct; his site says he took command of the Trancarpathian MD and this is placing an MD command before an Army command").

In 1969 Varennikov took charge of the Third Shock Army, and in 1979 became deputy head of the Soviet General Staff.

During the last few years of the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Varennikov was the personal representative in Kabul of the Soviet Defence Minister, and held negotiations with the United Nations Mission members who oversaw the pullout from the country of Soviet troops between 1988 and 1989.

In 1989 General Varennikov was named commander-in-chief of land forces and deputy minister of defence.

In 1991 during the August coup attempt he joined forces opposing former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. After the coup failure General Varennikov was arrested, tried and prosecuted together with other coup plotters and was acquitted by the Russian Supreme Court in 1994. He was the only member of the group of accused plotters who refused to accept an amnesty.

Political career

In 1995 Varennikov, as a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, was elected deputy of the State Duma. In the Duma Varennikov presided over the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

In 2003 he joined the Rodina block as one of its leaders.

Other activities

In February 2008, Valentin Varennikov was officially received as fellow of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (Armenian branch) and member of the International Academy Ararat. He is the president and founder of the International League for Human Dignity and Security, an international NGO present in more than 40 countries.Fact|date=June 2008

Awards and honors

Varennikov has a Hero of the Soviet Union title and is a titular Knight of the Order of Glory, as well as having received numerous other Soviet, Russian and foreign medals and decorations. He has now the honorary rank of retired field marshal.

Personal life

He is married, has two sons and currently lives in Moscow.

Online References

* [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/20/interviews/varennikov/ CNN interview with Gen. Valentin Varennikov] - A CNN Perspective Series, Episode 20: Soldiers of God.
* [http://www.valentinvarennikov.ru/ Valentin Varennikov personal site] - in Russian.