The assassination attempt on Brezhnev: how the main terrorist of the Soviet Union ended up free. The history of the failed assassination attempt on Brezhnev Attempt on Brezhnev on January 22, 1969

To the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Leonid Brezhnev. On January 22, 1969, the Secretary General met the crews of the Soyuz-4 and Soyuz-5 spacecraft in Moscow. Upon entering the Kremlin, the motorcade was fired upon by junior lieutenant of the Soviet Army Viktor Ilyin.

That day, Ilyin stole two pistols with cartridges from the unit, changed into someone else’s police uniform, and in this form infiltrated the cordon at the Borovitsky Gate. He opened fire with two pistols at the second car of the motorcade, in which, as he expected, the Secretary General was supposed to be.

The criminal managed to fire 8 bullets before he was hit by a motorcyclist in the motorcade, and then captured by state security service soldiers, writes Segodnya.

In the car that Ilyin shot at were the cosmonauts who were to be awarded orders in the Kremlin: Leonov, Nikolaev, Tereshkova and Georgy Beregovoy, who looked slightly like the Secretary General. As a result, Ilyin killed the driver Ilya Zharkov and injured several people. Brezhnev himself rode in the third car of the motorcade and was not injured.

At this time, there was a live report from the Kremlin, but as soon as the shots were fired, the broadcast was immediately stopped. The public learned about the assassination only 20 years later.

According to one version, the lone killer was “led” by the KGB in order to distinguish himself in front of Brezhnev and strengthen his influence. Allegedly for this reason, the Secretary General’s car was rebuilt at the tail of the column.

Junior lieutenant of the Soviet Army Viktor Ilyin, born in 1948, was declared insane by the court. He spent about 20 years in mental hospitals. Employees of the Kazan hospital recalled that the patient behaved modestly, although he was distinguished by strange behavior bordering on delusions of grandeur. Ilyin hoped that the murder of the Secretary General would lead to democratic reforms.

Interestingly, Ilyin was not fired from the army: after leaving the hospital in 1989, he was recognized as being on sick leave. Since then, he has lived in his hometown of St. Petersburg and receives a long-service pension.

Apart from Ilyin, no one in the USSR attempted to assassinate Brezhnev. However, there were attempts to commit murder abroad. In June 1977, on the eve of Leonid Ilyich’s visit to France, the KGB received information about an impending assassination attempt near the Eternal Flame at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during the laying of a wreath.

According to intelligence services, Brezhnev was to be shot by a sniper located on one of the twelve streets leading to the Arc de Triomphe. A guard of twelve thousand Parisian police officers and six thousand firefighters were stationed on all these streets. On June 21, 1977, Leonid Ilyich laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame and left safely.

Ilyin was accused under five articles of the Criminal Code: theft of weapons; desertion from duty; organization and dissemination of slanderous fabrications discrediting the Soviet system; attempted terrorist attack; murder. It was announced at the official level that Ilyin had attempted to kill the astronauts. However, he was not shot or sent to long-term imprisonment. Ilyin, who from the very beginning gave the impression of being insane, was declared insane. In May 1970, he was placed in the Kazan Special Psychiatric Hospital, where he was kept in a solitary ward, in complete isolation until 1988. Then, thanks to his mother’s efforts, he was transferred to psychiatric hospital No. 3 named after Skvortsov-Stepanov in Leningrad. In 1990 he was released, since he was not formally dismissed from the Soviet Army, he received 20 years of salary (Ilyin was recognized as being on sick leave). In addition, he was given a one-room apartment in Leningrad and a disability pension. Very instructive facts for those who think that the USSR was a “bloody empire” where people were crushed by the millions.

The crime is believed to have been motivated by a mixture of political and personal motives. Ilyin was critical of the current government. In his opinion, the current political system of the USSR has outlived its usefulness. Ilyin condemned the entry of Soviet troops into Czechoslovakia and spoke positively about military coups in a number of third world countries. It is known that he admired Lee Harvey Oswald, who, according to the official version, killed American President John Kennedy: “Just one shot and he’s famous throughout the world.” Apparently, strong personal experiences provoked him to take a decisive action. Shortly before the assassination attempt, he learned the secret of his birth and quarreled with the girl.

In addition, there is a version that this attempt was a provocation, which was prepared by a certain part of the State Security Committee. So, already on January 21, the command of the military unit reported the disappearance of an officer with two pistols. Moreover, it was known that he flew from Leningrad to Moscow - they found an entry in Ilyin’s notebook. In addition, on the morning of January 22, Ilyin’s uncle reported that his nephew had stolen a police uniform and wanted to enter the Kremlin. However, all this information was not used to detain him (although he was easy to recognize by his “gypsy” appearance and autumn-spring uniform). There is an opinion that this inaction of the KGB was caused by the confrontation between the head of the department, Yu. Andropov, and his first deputy, S. Tsvigun, who was “digging” under his immediate superior. Therefore, Brezhnev was out of danger: his car entered the Kremlin separately from the motorcade, through the Spassky Gate (according to other sources, the Secretary General’s car entered the Kremlin as part of the motorcade, but at the tail of the column).

It must be said that in the USSR no one else attempted to assassinate Brezhnev except Ilyin. However, there were two attempts to kill him abroad. In June 1977, on the eve of the visit of the Soviet Secretary General to France, the Committee received information about the organization of an assassination attempt in Paris near the Eternal Flame at the Arc de Triomphe during the laying of a wreath. The murder was to be carried out by a sniper located on one of the streets leading to the Arc de Triomphe. All possible measures were taken on the French and Soviet sides to prevent the assassination attempt. On June 21, 1977, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame, everything went well.

In May 1978, when Leonid Ilyich was on a visit to Germany, the State Security Committee again received information about an impending assassination attempt. It was to take place after lunch with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt at Castle Augustburg. Brezhnev was taken out through the emergency entrance, the assassination attempt was prevented.

Assassination attempt on Brezhnev

On January 22, 1969, 21-year-old Soviet army lieutenant Viktor Ilyin attempted to assassinate Leonid Brezhnev. The assassination attempt was poorly planned and ended in failure. The Secretary General was not injured, but the cosmonauts almost died from Ilyin’s bullets: Alexey Leonov, Valentina Tereshkova, Andriyan Nikolaev and Georgy Beregovoi. The lieutenant himself ended up behind bars, where he spent twenty-one years.

Technically, everything looked quite simple. On January 21, 1969, a young officer Viktor Ilyin escaped from his unit, taking two pistols with him. By evening he reached Moscow, where he stayed with his uncle. The uncle, who served in the police, was surprised by the arrival of his nephew. But Ilyin reassured him, saying that he had come to the capital in order to watch the ceremonial meeting of the astronauts. On January 22, the crews of Soyuz-4 and Soyuz-5 were to be honored in the Kremlin. The next morning, Ilyin, having stolen a police uniform from his uncle, went to the Kremlin.

It must be said that some of his units missed him even before he reached Moscow. The escaped officer was reported to the capital on the afternoon of January 21. It was not difficult to calculate Ilyin’s route. The officer left his diary in the barracks. The last entry in it read “We need to find out when the next flight to Moscow is.”

Uncle Ilyin was also awake. He informed his superiors that his nephew had stolen his uniform and went to the Kremlin. Did these messages reach the KGB and those responsible for the security of the Secretary General? Unknown. There are different versions, but no facts. Some argue that measures were taken and Brezhnev’s limousine was taken out of the motorcade so as not to expose the Soviet leader to danger. The car with the Secretary General, according to some sources, arrived in the Kremlin ahead of time. There is another version, according to which Andropov was immediately informed about the potential assassination attempt, but he did not take any measures, thus hoping to get rid of Brezhnev.
One way or another, Ilyin entered the Kremlin and, standing in a police cordon, waited for the motorcade. He let the first car pass, and opened fire on the second. There were four astronauts in that car. The officer fired eleven bullets. One of them inflicted a mortal wound on the driver Ilya Zharkov, the other hit the motorcyclist Zatsepilov, who blocked the car from fire with his motorcycle. The astronauts were almost unharmed, and Ilyin was immediately detained.

In the USSR, such incidents were kept secret. There is no need for the Soviet people to know about such incidents. But it was impossible to hide the story of the shooting. The ceremonial meeting of the astronauts was broadcast live. The broadcast was immediately stopped, and the country froze in bewilderment.

Rumors spread throughout Moscow. They said that a detachment of CIA fighters had penetrated the Kremlin and were supposed to eliminate Brezhnev and the entire Politburo. They said there were two or three shooters. Someone claimed that a bomb was planted in one of the vehicles in the motorcade.

The Soviet press was silent. On January 24, however, Pravda released a short message:
“On January 22, during a ceremonial meeting of pilot-cosmonauts, a provocative act was committed - several shots were fired at the car in which the cosmonauts were traveling. Beregovoy, Nikolaeva-Tereshkova, Nikolaev, Leonov. As a result, the driver of the car and the motorcyclist accompanying the motorcade were injured. None of the astronauts were injured. The shooter was detained at the crime scene. An investigation is underway."

So it was officially announced: “Ilyin attempted to kill the astronauts.” He was charged with five counts at once: organizing and disseminating slanderous fabrications discrediting the Soviet system, attempted terrorist attack, murder, theft of weapons and desertion from a place of service. Not a word about Brezhnev. Later, Ilyin was declared insane and sent to the Kazan Special Psychiatric Hospital. There he spent the next twenty years of his life. In 1990 he was released. Ilyin was not officially dismissed from the army, and his lawyers through the court ensured that he was paid his salary for the very twenty years that he spent behind bars.

But a different opinion grew stronger in society. “Even a madman will not attempt to kill the cosmonauts,” Soviet citizens decided. This is how the version was born that Ilyin wanted to kill Brezhnev. This version was later confirmed by Ilyin himself. And the Western press was the first to bring it to the masses. Journalists from European and even overseas publications were also in the Kremlin, and the incident did not escape their eyes.

“In fact, the shot in Moscow could have been a human action - a tragic protest against the inhuman state system that has been keeping a great people in slavery for 50 years. The unknown man was aware that he would have to pay with his life for his action. According to the latest information, two capsules of potassium cyanide were found on him, which he did not manage to swallow. His fate must be terrible. Everything indicates that there is also a struggle going on in the USSR, which has been going on for several months now in Czechoslovakia, where the protest against the seizure and violence has taken such strange forms. Just like in the Soviet Union, people are ready to make great sacrifices, preferring death to eternal captivity.”

Wrote the newspaper “Russian Thought” published in Paris. The recording was made based on an article published in one of the French newspapers.

A joke later appeared in the USSR, retold even by Dovlatov:
Ilyin was asked:
- How could you miss Brezhnev?
- How can you shoot if everyone rips the gun out of their hands and shouts: “Give it to me!” Give it to me!

On January 22, 1969, at a ceremonial meeting of Soviet cosmonauts, crew members of the Soyuz-4 and Soyuz-5 spacecraft, Soviet Army junior lieutenant Viktor Ilyin attempted to assassinate the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee Leonid Brezhnev.
The next day, the central Soviet newspapers Pravda and Izvestia published a TASS message: “A provocative act has been committed. Several shots were fired at the car in which the astronauts were traveling. The shooter was detained at the crime scene. An investigation is underway." Read about the details and contradictions of Ilyin’s assassination attempt in our material.

Before the assassination attempt

Viktor Ilyin was born on December 26, 1947. He spent the first days of his life in an orphanage, from where a childless couple took him. In his youth, he was attracted by the romance of the surveyor's profession, so he entered the Leningrad Topographical College, where he studied at the military department. In 1968, Ilyin was drafted into the Soviet army.
Thoughts about the assassination attempt appeared in his mind long before his service. Viktor Ilyin regularly read in newspapers about the movements and meetings of Leonid Brezhnev. Having learned about the upcoming gala meeting of cosmonaut pilots in Moscow, Ilyin decided to act.

Preparation

On the eve of the assassination attempt, Viktor Ilyin stole two Makarov pistols and cartridges from the unit and immediately left the military unit for Pulkovo. There was no inspection at the airport or when boarding the flight to Moscow, and Ilyin reached the capital without hindrance. He stayed overnight in Moscow with his relatives, saying that he had come on vacation. On the morning of January 22, wearing a police overcoat and his uncle’s cap, Ilyin goes to the Kremlin. By that time, the military unit was already looking for the junior lieutenant who had escaped with a weapon, but instructions to Moscow were not promptly sent out. This is one of those circumstances that gives rise to the version that they knew about the impending assassination attempt, but did not want to interfere with it.

Attack

Ilyin got into the Kremlin without any problems, passing for a policeman maintaining order at the event. Although even here analysts have doubts. Is it possible to let a stranger with a remarkable appearance into the ranks of police platoons? Be that as it may, Ilyin was expecting the approach of the motorcades with two pistols in his sleeves. And as soon as the second government car was next to Ilyin, shots rang out. 11 bullets - in the windshield of the car, in which Brezhnev, contrary to the usual process, was not present. Instead of the Secretary General, Ilyin shot at cosmonauts Leonov, Nikolaev, Beregovoy and Tereshkova. The shots mortally wounded the driver - he died.
The television broadcast was interrupted. The onlookers, due to the roar of motorcycle and car engines, did not have time to understand what had happened. And Viktor Ilyin had already been detained by KGB officers.

Court

Ilyin was charged with five counts. Many years after the incident, he will say that on January 22, 1969 he walked to the Kremlin and understood that this was a “suicidal act.” But he survived. The court declared Ilyin insane - in the USSR, a healthy person could not attempt the life of the Secretary General, and he was sent for compulsory treatment to the Kazan psychiatric hospital. In 1990, Viktor Ilyin, the man who attempted to assassinate Leonid Brezhnev, was released.

Here is an accurate description of people born on January 22, 1969, events, holidays and statistical data of these days. This year's complete calendar by month and day of the week.

The true interpretation is the calendar date 01/22/1969.

• The horoscope symbol of people who were born on January 22, 1969 is Aquarius (from January 21 to February 19).
• Oriental animal calendar for 1969 - Monkey - Earth - Yellow, from February 17 Rooster - Earth - Yellow.
• Element of the horoscope symbol for Aquarius, born 01/22/69. - Air.
• The planet that rules people born on this day of the week is Uranus.
• Today marks week 4.
• According to the calendar, the month of January has 31 days.
• Day length on January 22 – 7 hours 59 minutes Sunrise: 8 hours 41 minutes; Sunset: 16 hours 40 minutes; Longitude of the night: 14 hours 37 minutes (data are given for the latitude of the European part of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus).
• According to the calendar it is now winter.
• According to the Gregorian calendar, it is not a leap year.
• It is better to use colors according to the horoscope for people who were born on the day January 22, 1969- Grayish purple pink, dark greenish yellow and gray green.
• Plants suitable for the combination of the horoscope sign Aquarius and the year 1969 according to the eastern animal calendar are Larch and Maple.
• Stones are amulets, for people born today - Malachite, Olivine.
• Particularly lucky numbers for people who were born on January 22, 69 > SEVEN.
• Very best days of the week for people who were born on January 22, 1969 > Saturday.
• The true qualities of the soul, the horoscope sign of Aquarius, who were born on this date, is fussy and generous.

Holidays and memorable dates falling on January 22.

• Ukraine - Unity Day
• Poland - Grandfather's Day
• The national holiday Philip Day - they tried to put their home, and at the same time themselves, in perfect order. If the weather was clear, in the summer one could expect a rich harvest; if the livestock that was walking in the yard went back to the stall, then the weather would be frosty and it would snow.

Christian (Orthodox) celebrations and dates of remembrance on this day of the year:

• Memorial Day of the Prophet Samey.
• Memorial Day of St. Eustratius of Tarsus, wonderworker.
• Memorial Day of Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebastia of Armenia.
• Memorial Day of Martyr Polievkta Melitinsky.
• Memorial Day of Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus', Wonderworker.

Orthodox name days are celebrated on January 22:

• Antonina,
• Zakhar,
• Paul,
• Panteleimon,
• Peter,
• Philip.

Dates on which religious holidays fell in 1969

• The Orthodox holiday of Easter is April 13.
• Orthodox Palm Sunday falls on April 6th.
• Orthodox Holy Trinity is celebrated on June 01.
• Catholic Easter is celebrated this year on April 6th.
• The Catholic holiday of the Ascension of Christ (Ascension of the Lord) is May 15.
• The Catholic holiday of Pentecost (Descent of the Holy Spirit) is May 25.
• The Catholic holiday, Trinity Day, is celebrated this year on June 1st.
• Catholic holiday of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - June 05.
• Catholic holiday of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - June 06.
• The Jewish Passover (Passover) fell on April 3.
• The Jewish holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost) is May 22.

About those men who were born on January 22nd.

According to the calendar born on January 22, 1969, money is never in the first place for them. Primitive empty women are not interesting to him. It is almost impossible to convince them. Since this person has an open character, he easily recognizes falsehood in people and does not tolerate it. He may look white and fluffy, but remember, inside he is far from that. In family life, friendship with his wife is of great importance to him; he wants her to give him the opportunity to lead a free life.
Men born on January 22, 1969 are born in Aquarius and rarely get rich, which, in principle, is not so important for them. But Aquarians are rich in soul and imagination. They are very proactive, you don’t have to wait long for an invitation to a date, and if he likes you, he will easily take the first step in your direction. He's a tech geek, so he has all the latest gadgets or fantasies, or he'll be the first to discover a new fashion. In love, he does not behave like everyone else; in friendship, he will become a reliable friend and advisor for you. They are used to giving more than taking, so relationships with friends are usually one-sided, which makes life much more difficult for them. If you connect your life with him, you will not be bored. It will not be difficult to adapt to such a bad character and achieve what you want. All sorts of conclusions are constantly in his head.
Ideal for a man January 22, 1969 birth - a woman is a friend. Being a housewife and the mother of his children is unlikely to suit him. Sooner or later he will get married anyway, and after that he will decide that now it’s time for him to concentrate on much more important things. These people should not overwork; hardening and physical education have a positive effect on them. There is one thing that a man born on the twenty-second January 1969 calendar makes friendship the basis of love, it is easier for him to avoid discussing love topics and everything connected with it. A person does not like to open his soul even to the closest people and listen to advice. They often do charity work.
If you have chosen an Aquarius man as your goal, you should think about how to become his ideal. Often, for a man born in 1969, according to the eastern animal horoscope - the Yellow Earth Monkey of the year, a new perception has been forming in his mind for a long time. He hides his feelings, so he won't let you know his secret. To help family and friends, I am ready to sacrifice a lot.

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Full information about women born today, January 22, 1969, according to the Chinese horoscope.

The character of a woman born in 1969, according to the eastern animal horoscope - the Yellow Earth Monkey of the year, is manifested in her innovative judgments and extraordinary actions. People have a lot of interests, which takes them a lot of time. As soon as she feels that she can no longer think, do and live as she wants, she immediately strives to run away, leave, disappear. She must be completely immersed in her work, immersed in affairs and worries, which at the same time allow her not to depend on anyone or anything.
Bright appearance combined with natural charm and constant changes in clothing style make them unforgettable and not at all boring. Discovering new, interesting and exciting things, being in an endless search for fresh ideas and thoughts - this is what sets an extraordinary girl apart from others. These are modern and courageous women according to the calendar for January 22, 1969 by month and birthday, and they are usually responsive and generous, which also attracts people to them. If any disagreement arises, he will try to get away from it.
Sometimes they are greatly led by their love for honesty and justice; women born on January 22, 1969 will not mince words and will tell the whole truth to their face, no matter how bitter it may be; this frankness scares off many. They prefer uniqueness, becoming elegant only through the selection of colors, without the lack of jewelry or makeup. They are pragmatists by nature, so they carefully calculate their every move in order to obtain some kind of benefit, material or spiritual. It is better for her to live alone than with a callous, pedantic husband. People can quite sincerely change from an icy touch to a hot passionate woman without prejudice. What works best for a woman born on January 22, 1969 is something that is not associated with total coercion and she will prove herself where a sharp mind is required, no less a sharp word. The main thing is to preserve her individuality and freedom and never encroach on them. In the process of searching, she can unwittingly play with men, make them fall in love with her, and then leave her, continuing to follow the ghostly guiding star.
Famous people were born under the zodiac sign Aquarius

Calendar - table for 1969 with days of the week

Calendar table for January 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

Calendar table for February 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28

Calendar table for March 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

Calendar table for April 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Calendar table for May 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Calendar table for June 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30

Calendar table for July 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31

Calendar table for August 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Calendar table for September 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30

Table calendar for October 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

Calendar table for November 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

Calendar table for December 1969 by days of the week
Mon	W	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31