Dmitry Yazov served as the final Minister of Defence of the Soviet Union to hold the rank of Marshal. His career spanned from the Siege of Leningrad in World War II to the political turbulence of the 1991 August coup, marking him as a pivotal figure in the terminal years of the Soviet state.
Military Origins and Wartime Service
Born in Yazovo in 1924, Yazov enlisted in the Red Army in 1941 before finishing his secondary education. He trained at the Moscow Higher Military Command School before joining combat operations in 1942. As a young officer, he participated in the defence of Leningrad and later operations across the Baltic states, ultimately serving through the blockade of the Courland Pocket. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1944.
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During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Yazov commanded Soviet ground forces in Oriente Province, Cuba, where he collaborated with Raúl Castro. His career progressed through various command roles, including the 32nd Army Corps in the Crimean region and the Central Group of Forces in Czechoslovakia. In 1986, while leading the Far East Military District, he drew the attention of Mikhail Gorbachev, which facilitated his rapid ascent.
Defence Ministry and The August Coup
Appointed Minister of Defence on 30 May 1987, Yazov oversaw military operations during a period of intense domestic instability. He was responsible for the deployment of OMON forces into Latvia and Lithuania in early 1991. By August 1991, he joined the State Emergency Committee during the attempted coup against Gorbachev. Following the failure of this action, his tenure as minister ended and he faced arrest.
Legal Proceedings and Final Years
Yazov spent time in custody before being amnestied by the State Duma in 1994. Although he was later tried in absentia and convicted by a Lithuanian court in 2019 for his role in the 1991 crackdown, the Russian government refused his extradition. He served as a military adviser at the General Staff Academy during his later life, remaining the last living Marshal of the Soviet Union until his death in Moscow on 25 February 2020.
Fast facts
- Born: 1924, Yazovo
- Died: 2020, Moscow
- Rank: Marshal of the Soviet Union
- Minister of Defence: 1987-1991
- Education: M.V. Frunze Military Academy
- Burial site: Federal Military Memorial Cemetery
- Party membership: Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Questions readers ask
Was Yazov the last Marshal of the Soviet Union?
Yes, he was the final individual appointed to that rank on 28 April 1990 and was the last living holder of the title at the time of his death.
What was his role in the 1991 coup?
He served as a member of the State Emergency Committee, which attempted to seize power from Mikhail Gorbachev.
Achievements
- Educated at Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, Moscow Higher Military Command School and M.V. Frunze Military Academy
- Worked as military personnel, military officer and soldier
