Background
Romanov, Grigorii was born on February 7, 1923. Son of a peasant.
Romanov, Grigorii was born on February 7, 1923. Son of a peasant.
Graduated from the Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute in 1953.
Served in the Soviet Army during World War II. Joined the Communist Party in 1944. Worked as a designer in 1946. Section head of the Design Bureau of Zhdanov Works, USSR Ministry of Shipbuilding, Leningrad, 1946-1954.
Party posts in Leningrad, 1955-1970, including 1st secretary of Leningrad Oblast’ Committee Long-standing party boss of Leningrad with a reputation of extreme toughness. Member of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet from 1971. Candidate member, 1973-1976, and full member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1976.
Took over control of defence after Marshal D. Ustinov’s death in1984, with the elderly Marshal Sokolov as nominal Minister of Defence. Was one of Gorbachev’s main rivals. Involved in the general Brezhnevite malaise (used priceless Tsarist porcelain for a relative’s wedding which resulted in some of the pieces being broken by drunken guests).
Under Gorbachev, removed from all his posts, with rumours of his alcoholism and corruption emerging everywhere.