Leonid Brezhnev

Birth Name: Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev

Date of Birth: 19 December (O.S. 6 December), 1906

Place of Birth: Kamenskoye, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire (now Russia)

Date of Death: 10 November, 1982

Place of Death: Zarechye, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia)

Ethnicity: Russian, possibly some Ukrainian

Leonid Brezhnev was a Russian politician. He led the USSR, as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, from 14 October, 1964 to 10 November, 1982, his death. He was also Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, from 7 May, 1960 to 15 July, 1964, and again, from 16 June, 1977 to 10 November, 1982; and Second Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, from 15 July, 1964 to 14 October, 1964. He had previously been First Secretary of the Communist Party of Moldavia, from 3 November, 1950 to 16 April, 1952, and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, from 8 May, 1955 to 6 March, 1956.

Brezhnev was the son of Natalia Denisovna (Mazalova) and Ilya Yakovlevich Brezhnev, a metalworker. He was married to Viktoria Brezhneva (born Viktoria Petrovna Denisova), until his death, with whom he had two children, Galina Brezhneva and politician Yuri Brezhnev. Yuri was First Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, from 1979 to 1986.

Leonid’s ethnicity was specified as Ukrainian in some documents, including his passport, and Russian in others. It is not clear if he had Ukrainian ancestry.

Leonid’s paternal grandfather was Yakov Maximovich/Kapitonovich Brezhnev (the son of Maxim Brezhnev, or of Kapiton Mikhailovich Brezhnev/Brezhnev-Ushakov and Varvara Illarionovna Arepieva). Yakov was born in Muravlevo estate “Shchitinka,” Kursk province, Russia. Kapiton was the son of Mikhail Petrovich Brezhnev-Ushakov/Brezhnev and Pavla Ivanovna Ushakova. Varvara was born in Barbinka village, Kursk, the daughter of Illarion Mikhailovich Arepyev and Anisiya Mikhailovna.

Leonid’s paternal grandmother was named Melania Fedorovna Bukreeva. Melania was born in Bukreevka village, Streletsky, Kursk province, Russia.

Leonid’s maternal grandfather was named Denis Nikitovich Mazalov/Denisov (the son of Nikita Anufrievich Denisov). Nikita was the son of Anufriy Danilovich Denisov.

Source: Genealogy of Leonid Brezhnev – http://www.geni.com

Wax Museum Gallery large Gostiny Dvor. photo by German Sivov/Bigstock.com