Vasily Zakharov (Russian: Василий Захаров; 5 January 1934 – 17 October 2023) was a Soviet and Russian economist who served as the minister of culture between 1986 and 1989 in the Soviet Union. He was a member of central committee of the Communist Party.
Vasily Zakharov | |
---|---|
Minister of Culture | |
In office 17 August 1986 – June 1989 | |
Premier | Nikolai Ryzhkov |
Preceded by | Pyotr Demichev |
Personal details | |
Born | Vasily Georgiyevich Zakharov 5 January 1934 Khriply, Firovsky district, Kalinin region, RSFSR |
Died | 17 October 2023 | (aged 89)
Nationality | Russian |
Political party | Communist Party |
Alma mater | Leningrad State University |
Zakharov was born in the village of Khriply, Firovsky district, Kalinin region, on 5 January 1934.[1] He is a graduate of Leningrad State University where he received a PhD in economics in 1957.[2] He later became a full professor.[3] He taught at the Tomsk Polytechnic Institute and Leningrad Technological Institute.[2]
Zakharov's career at the Communist Party began in 1973 when he was named as the head of the propaganda and agitation department in Leningrad.[3] He moved to Moscow in 1983 because of his appointment as first deputy chief of the propaganda department of the party's central committee.[4] From January 1986 he worked as the second secretary of the Moscow City central committee under Boris Yeltsin.[3][4] In March 1986 Zakharov became one of the central committee members of the Communist Party.[4] On 17 August 1986 he was named the minister of culture, replacing Pyotr Demichev in the post.[2][4] In June 1989 Zakharov was again proposed by Soviet Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov as minister of culture.[5] However, he and other five nominees were rejected by the Supreme Soviet in July 1989.[6]
Zakharov died on 17 October 2023, at the age of 89.[1]