Vladimir Ivashko
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Antonovich Ivashko (28 October 1932 — 13 November 1994), was briefly the acting General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
(CPSU) during the period from 24 August 1991 to 29 August 1991. On 24 August Mikhail Gorbachev
resigned, and on 29 August the CPSU was suspended by the Supreme Soviet. Before becoming General Secretary he had been voted Gorbachev's Deputy General Secretary within the Party on 12 July 1990, a newly created position as a result of the 28th Congress of the Communist Party
The Communist Party in between Gorbachev's resignation and its suspension was politically impotent. By the time of the 28th Congress in July 1990, the party was largely regarded as being unable to lead the country and had, in fifteen republics, split into opposing factions favouring either independent republics or the continuation of the Soviet Union. Stripped of its leading role in society the party lost its authority to lead the nation or the cohesion that kept the party united. Actual political power lay in the positions of President of the Soviet Union
(held by Gorbachev) and President of the Russian SFSR (held by Yeltsin
). During the August coup he did not make public statements but on behalf of the Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee
distributed letters to local party organizations calling on them to uphold the CPSU.
Mikhail Gorbachev
brought in his ally Ivashko in to replace the long-serving Volodymyr Shcherbytsky
as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR on 28 Sep 1989. Ivashko led the Communists to victory in the first relatively free parliamentary election
held in the Ukrainian SSR, which took place from 4 March to 18 March 1990, the Communists winning 331 seats to the 'Democratic Blocks' 111 seats. Ivashko was elected by the communist majority to the post of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
of the Ukrainian SSR
on 4 Jun 1990. Since the abandonment by the Communists of their `leading role` in early 1990 this position now superseded that of First Secretary of the Communist Party as most powerful position in the Ukraine.
He resigned his position as First Secretary on 22 Jun 1990 following opposition demonstrations against his occupation of both the First Secretary post and Chairmanship of the Rada. However on 9 Jul 1990 he too resigned as Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
of the Ukrainian SSR
after declining to be recalled to Kiev during the 28th Congress of the Communist Party in Moscow, and a few days later successfully secured the position of Deputy General Secretary of the CPSU.
Ivashko retired in 1992 and died on 14 November 1994, at the age of 62 after an undetermined "long illness".
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
(CPSU) during the period from 24 August 1991 to 29 August 1991. On 24 August Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
resigned, and on 29 August the CPSU was suspended by the Supreme Soviet. Before becoming General Secretary he had been voted Gorbachev's Deputy General Secretary within the Party on 12 July 1990, a newly created position as a result of the 28th Congress of the Communist Party
The Communist Party in between Gorbachev's resignation and its suspension was politically impotent. By the time of the 28th Congress in July 1990, the party was largely regarded as being unable to lead the country and had, in fifteen republics, split into opposing factions favouring either independent republics or the continuation of the Soviet Union. Stripped of its leading role in society the party lost its authority to lead the nation or the cohesion that kept the party united. Actual political power lay in the positions of President of the Soviet Union
President of the Soviet Union
The President of the Soviet Union , officially called President of the USSR was the Head of State of the USSR from 15 March 1990 to 25 December 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev was the only person to occupy the office. Gorbachev was also General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between...
(held by Gorbachev) and President of the Russian SFSR (held by Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
). During the August coup he did not make public statements but on behalf of the Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee
Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee
The Secretariat of the CPSU Central Committee was a key body within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and was responsible for the central administration of the party as opposed to drafting government policy which was usually handled by the Politburo...
distributed letters to local party organizations calling on them to uphold the CPSU.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
brought in his ally Ivashko in to replace the long-serving Volodymyr Shcherbytsky
Volodymyr Shcherbytsky
Volodymyr Vasylyovych Shcherbytsky was a Ukrainian and Soviet politician. He was a leader of the Communist Party of Ukraine from 1972 to 1989....
as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR on 28 Sep 1989. Ivashko led the Communists to victory in the first relatively free parliamentary election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
held in the Ukrainian SSR, which took place from 4 March to 18 March 1990, the Communists winning 331 seats to the 'Democratic Blocks' 111 seats. Ivashko was elected by the communist majority to the post of the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
of the Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
on 4 Jun 1990. Since the abandonment by the Communists of their `leading role` in early 1990 this position now superseded that of First Secretary of the Communist Party as most powerful position in the Ukraine.
He resigned his position as First Secretary on 22 Jun 1990 following opposition demonstrations against his occupation of both the First Secretary post and Chairmanship of the Rada. However on 9 Jul 1990 he too resigned as Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
of the Ukrainian SSR
Ukrainian SSR
The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic or in short, the Ukrainian SSR was a sovereign Soviet Socialist state and one of the fifteen constituent republics of the Soviet Union lasting from its inception in 1922 to the breakup in 1991...
after declining to be recalled to Kiev during the 28th Congress of the Communist Party in Moscow, and a few days later successfully secured the position of Deputy General Secretary of the CPSU.
Ivashko retired in 1992 and died on 14 November 1994, at the age of 62 after an undetermined "long illness".