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. Valentin Varennikov was born to a poor Cossack family in Krasnodar. His father, who fought in the Russian Civil War, graduated from the Moscow industrial institute and was a manager. His mother died in 1930 when he was seven. 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 German-Soviet War in the Battle of Berlin as one of the commanders of the Soviet soldiers who captured the Reichstag. He 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. Later he graduated from the In 1960 he became deputy commander of a motor rifle division. From 1962 to 1966, he commanded 54th Motor Rifle Division of the Leningrad Military District. 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.
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. Valentin Varennikov was born to a poor Cossack family in Krasnodar. His father, who fought in the Russian Civil War, graduated from the Moscow industrial institute and was a manager. His mother died in 1930 when he was seven. 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 German-Soviet War in the Battle of Berlin as one of the commanders of the Soviet soldiers who captured the Reichstag. He 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. Later he graduated from the In 1960 he became deputy commander of a motor rifle division. From 1962 to 1966, he commanded 54th Motor Rifle Division of the Leningrad Military District. 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.
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