Alexey Kuznetsov

Alexey Alexandrovich Kuznetsov (20 February [O.S. 7 February] 1905 – 1 October 1950) was a Soviet statesman, CPSU functionary, Lieutenant General and member of CPSU Central Committee (1939–1949).

Alexey Kuznetsov Алексей Кузнецов
Senior Secretary of Cadres of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
In office 6 May 1946 – 1 July 1948
Preceded by	Georgy Malenkov
Succeeded by	Georgy Malenkov
First Secretary of the Leningrad Regional Party Committee
In office 17 January 1945 – 26 March 1946
Preceded by	Andrei Zhdanov
Succeeded by	Pyotr Popkov
Additional positions First Secretary of the Leningrad City Party Committee In office 17 January 1945 – 26 March 1946 Preceded by Andrei Zhdanov Succeeded by Pyotr Popkov (de facto) Member of the 18th Secretariat In office 18 March 1946 – 28 January 1949 Member of the 18th Orgburo In office 18 March 1946 – 7 March 1949
Personal details
Born	(1905-02-20)20 February 1905 Borovichi, Russian Empire
Died	1 October 1950(1950-10-01) (aged 45) Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Citizenship	Soviet
Political party	Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1925–1949)

He was Second Secretary (deputy leader) to Leningrad CPSU gorkom (city committee) and obkom (oblast committee), and, during the Siege of Leningrad, helped organize the city's defense. For his work during the siege, he was promoted to First Secretary in 1945.

Zhdanov was thought to want Kuznetsov to replace him as CC Party Chairman. Kuznetsov was also believed to be a possible replacement for Stalin on the latter's death. He was a strong supporter of Stalin, who appointed him to head the security functions of the party, showing how much the Soviet leader trusted him.

The beginning of Kuznetsov’s fall came when Stalin demoted him and returned him to a minor post in Leningrad (a frequent sign that the subject was destined for a final fall). This may have been because Kuznetsov had been digging into Kirov's death – suspicion of Stalin’s involvement in this murder has never been put to rest.[1] Eventually Kuznetsov was arrested, tried and sentenced to death in a secret trial during the Leningrad Affair. He was executed in 1950.

His death consolidated the power of Malenkov, Beria and Bulganin, with the inference that they may have been involved in the charges, fabricated or not.

He was rehabilitated posthumously.