Describe the goals of the State Emergency Committee and the methods it proposes. Over the years, the secrets of the State Emergency Committee have acquired a large number of versions.

GKChP is an abbreviation for the name of the State Committee for the State of Emergency, created by several senior functionaries of the Communist Party of the USSR on August 19, 1991 to save the collapsing Soviet Union. The formal head of the committee was the Vice-President of the USSR, member of the Politburo, Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Gennady Ivanovich Yanaev

Background

Economic restructuring

In 1982, the long-time head of the Soviet Union, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, L. I. Brezhnev, died. With his death, the period of relatively calm, stable, more or less prosperous life of the USSR ended, which began for the first time since the formation of the Country of Soviets. In 1985, the post of General Secretary and, therefore, the absolute ruler of the destinies of 250 million Soviet citizens was taken by M. S. Gorbachev. Aware of the complexities of the Soviet economy and its increasing lag behind Western countries, Gorbachev made an attempt to invigorate the socialist economic system by introducing market elements into it.
Alas, having said “A”, one must definitely continue, that is, one concession to the ideological enemy was followed by another, a third, and so on until complete capitulation

1985, April 23 - at the plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, Gorbachev proclaimed a course to accelerate - improve the existing economic system
1985, May - Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism”
1986, February 25-March 6 - XXVII Congress of the CPSU. It defined the task of “improving socialism”
1986, November 19 - The Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted the Law “On Individual Labor Activities”
1987, January - at the plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, the task of radical restructuring of economic management was put forward
1987, January 13 - Resolution of the Council of Ministers authorizing the creation of joint ventures
1987, February 5 - Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR “On the creation of cooperatives for the production of consumer goods”
1987, June 11 - Law “On the transfer of enterprises and organizations in sectors of the national economy to full self-financing and self-financing”
1987, June 25 - The Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee considered the issue “On the party’s tasks for a radical restructuring of economic management.”
1987, June 30 - the law “On State Enterprise (Association)” was adopted, redistributing powers between ministries and enterprises in favor of the latter
1988, May 26 - Law “On Cooperation in the USSR”
1988, August 24 - the first cooperative bank in the USSR (“Soyuz Bank”) was registered in Chimkent (Kazakh SSR)

The measures taken did not bring results. In 1986, the budget deficit doubled compared to 1985
The resolution of the CPSU Central Committee “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism” led to more than 20 billion losses in budget revenues, the transition to the category of scarce products that were previously on free sale (juices, cereals, caramels, etc.), a sharp increase in moonshine and increase in mortality due to poisoning with counterfeit alcohol and surrogates. Due to low world energy prices, the flow of foreign currency into the budget has decreased. Large-scale accidents and disasters have become more frequent (1986, May - Chernobyl). In the fall of 1989, sugar coupons were introduced

“In a Murmansk store near the bazaar, for the first time after the war I saw food cards - coupons for sausage and butter (V. Konetsky, “No one will take away the path we have traveled,” 1987)

1990, June - resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On the concept of transition to a market economy”
1990, October - resolution “Main directions for stabilizing the national economy and transition to a market economy”
1990, December - the USSR government headed by N. Ryzhkov was dismissed. The Council of Ministers of the USSR was transformed into the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR, headed by Prime Minister V. Pavlov
1991, January 23-25 - exchange of 50 and 100 ruble banknotes for new banknotes
1991, April 2 - double price increase for all products

However, in 1991 there was an 11% decline in production, a 20-30% budget deficit, and a huge external debt of $103.9 billion. Food, soap, matches, sugar, detergents were distributed on cards, but the cards were often not purchased. Republican and regional customs offices appeared

Restructuring Ideology

The introduction of elements of capitalism into the Soviet economic mechanism forced the authorities to change their policy in the field of ideology. After all, it was necessary to somehow explain to the people why the capitalist system, which had been criticized for 70 years, suddenly turned out to be in demand in their country, the most advanced and rich. The new policy was called glasnost

1986, February-March - at the 27th Congress of the CPSU Gorbachev said:
“The issue of expanding publicity is of fundamental importance to us. This is a political issue. Without glasnost there is no and cannot be democracy, political creativity of the masses, their participation in governance.”
1986, May - at the V Congress of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, its entire board was unexpectedly re-elected
1986, September 4 - order of Glavlit (the USSR censorship committee) to focus the attention of censors only on issues related to the protection of state and military secrets in the press
1986, September 25 - Resolution of the CPSU Central Committee to stop jamming of Voice of America and BBC broadcasts
1986, December - Academician Sakharov returned from exile to Gorky
1987, January 27 - Gorbachev at the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee:
“We should not have areas closed to criticism. The people need the whole truth... We need more light now, more than ever, so that the party and the people know everything, so that we don’t have dark corners where mold would grow again.”
1987, January - T. Abuladze’s anti-Stalin film “Repentance” was released on screens across the country.
1987, January - the documentary film “Is it easy to be young?” was shown. directed by Juris Podnieks
1987, February - 140 dissidents released from prison
1987 - unlimited subscriptions to newspapers and magazines allowed
1987, October 2 – release of the independent television program “Vzglyad”
1988, May 8 - the Democratic Union organization of dissidents and human rights activists was founded, positioning itself as an opposition party to the CPSU
1988, June 28-July 1 - at the XIX All-Union Party Conference of the CPSU, a decision was made on alternative elections of deputies of Councils at all levels
1988, November 30 - Jamming of all foreign radio stations is completely prohibited in the USSR
1987-1988 - publication of literary works banned in the USSR; articles about the past of the USSR were published in magazines and newspapers, refuting established myths (“New World”, “Moscow News”, “Arguments and Facts”, “Ogonyok”)
1989, March 26 - the first free elections to the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR
1989, May 25 - The First Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR opened in Moscow, at which the country's problems were openly discussed for the first time, some government actions were criticized, and proposals and alternatives were put forward. The congress sessions were broadcast live and listened to throughout the country.
1989, December 12-24 - at the Second Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, Boris Yeltsin, who headed the group of democrats, received a demand for the abolition of Article 6 of the USSR Constitution, which stated that “the CPSU is the leading and guiding force” in the state

Perestroika, acceleration, glasnost - the slogans of the policy pursued by M. S. Gorbachev

Collapse of the USSR

The Soviet Union was based on violence and fear, or discipline and respect for authority, as you like. As soon as the people discovered a certain lethargy and helplessness in the actions of the state, some freedom, actions of disobedience began. Somewhere there were strikes (in the spring of 1989 in the mines), somewhere anti-communist rallies (in August-September 1988 in Moscow). However, the biggest problems were caused to Moscow by interethnic conflicts and the activities of national republics, whose leaders, sensing the weakness of the Center, decided to take all power in the territory under their control.

1986, December 17-18 - anti-communist protests of Kazakh youth in Almaty
1988, November-December - aggravation of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh
1989, June - pogrom of Meskhetian Turks in the Fergana Valley
1989, July 15-16 - bloody clashes between Georgians and Abkhazians in Sukhumi (16 dead).
1989, April 6 - anti-Soviet rally in Tbilisi, suppressed by the army
1990, January - unrest in Baku, suppressed by the Army
1990, June - conflict between the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the city of Osh
1990, March 11 - declaration of independence of Lithuania
1990, May 4 - declaration of independence of Latvia
1990, May 8 - declaration of independence of Estonia
1990, June 12 - declaration of independence of the RSFSR
1990, September 2 - proclamation of the Transnistrian Republic
1991, January 8-9 - bloody clashes between the army and demonstrators in Vilnius
1991, March 31 - referendum on independence of Georgia
1991, April 19 - conflict between Ingush and Ossetians, one dead

On August 20, 1991, the former republics of the USSR, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and in the fall - Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Turkmenistan, were to sign a new treaty, terminating the union of 1922 and creating a new state entity - a confederation instead of a federation

State Emergency Committee. Briefly

In order to prevent the creation of a new state and save the old one - the Soviet Union, part of the party elite formed the State Committee for the State of Emergency. Gorbachev, who was vacationing in Crimea at that moment, was isolated from the events taking place

Composition of the Emergency Committee

*** Achalov - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, Colonel General
*** Baklanov - First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Defense Council
*** Boldin - Chief of Staff of the President of the USSR
*** Varennikov - Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces
*** Generalov - head of security at the residence of the President of the USSR in Foros
*** Kryuchkov - Chairman of the KGB of the USSR
*** Lukyanov - Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
*** Pavlov - Prime Minister of the USSR
*** Plekhanov - Head of the Security Service of the KGB of the USSR
*** Pugo - Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR
*** Starodubtsev - Chairman of the Peasant Union of the USSR
*** Tizyakov - President of the Association of State Enterprises of the USSR
*** Shenin - member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee
*** Yazov - Minister of Defense of the USSR
*** Yanaev - Vice President of the USSR

1991, August 15 - the text of the new Union Treaty was published
1991, August 17 - Kryuchkov, Pavlov, Yazov, Baklanov, Shenin, Boldin at a meeting decide to introduce a state of emergency from August 19, demand that Gorbachev sign the relevant decrees or resign and transfer powers to Vice President Yanaev
1991, August 17 - the conspirators decided to send a delegation to Gorbachev demanding the introduction of a state of emergency and non-signing of the Treaty
1991, August 18 - Yanaev in the Kremlin met with members of the delegation who returned from Crimea after a meeting with Gorbachev
1991, August 18 - Yazov ordered preparations for the entry of troops into Moscow
1991, August 19 - Yanaev signed a decree on the formation of the State Committee for the State of Emergency

Resolution of the State Emergency Committee No. 1 introduced a ban
- rallies
- demonstrations
- strikes
- activities of political parties, public organizations, mass movements
- issues of some central, Moscow city and regional socio-political publications
- allocation of 15 acres of land for gardening work to all city residents who wish to do so

1991, August 19 - units of the Taman Motorized Rifle Division, the Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, and the 106th (Tula) Airborne Division entered Moscow
1991, August 19 - people opposing the State Emergency Committee began to gather near the building of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR, on Manezhnaya Square, in the evening Boris Yeltsin spoke to them, reading out the Decree “On the illegality of the actions of the State Emergency Committee”
1991, August 20 - the confrontation between Muscovites led by Yeltsin and the State Emergency Committee continued. There were rumors about preparations for a forceful dispersal of protesters, an assault on the White House, and TV suddenly showed a true story about what was happening near the White House
1991, August 21 - at 5 a.m. Yazov gave the order to withdraw troops from Moscow
1991, August 21 - at 17:00 a delegation of the State Emergency Committee arrived in Crimea. Gorbachev refused to accept her and demanded to restore contact with the outside world
1991, August 21 - At 9 o'clock in the evening, Vice President Yanaev signed a decree declaring the State Emergency Committee dissolved and all its decisions invalid
1991, August 21 - at 22 o'clock, the Prosecutor General of the RSFSR Stepankov issued a decree on the arrest of members of the State Emergency Committee ( more details about the August Putsch are written on Wikipedia)

Result of the State Emergency Committee

1991, August 24 - Ukraine declared state independence
1991, August 25 - Belarus
1991, August 27 - Moldova
1991, August 31 - Uzbekistan
1991, October 27 - Turkmenistan
1991, August 31 - Kyrgyzstan
1991, September 9 - Tajikistan
1991, September 21 - Armenia
1991, October 18 - Azerbaijan
1991, December 8 - in Viskuli near Brest (Belarus), President of the RSFSR B. Yeltsin, President of Ukraine L. Kravchuk and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus S. Shushkevich signed an Agreement on the collapse of the USSR and on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Perestroika, acceleration, glasnost, the State Emergency Committee - all these attempts to correct and restore the Soviet state machine were in vain, because it was inseparable and could only exist in the form in which it was

An acute crisis of confidence in the President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev, his inability to effectively lead the country and control the socio-political situation was also manifested in his defeats in the fight against political opponents both “on the right” and “on the left”.

The last attempt to strengthen the union power was the coming to power in August 1991 of the State Committee for the State of Emergency in the USSR (GKChP). The State Emergency Committee included persons holding the highest government positions in the USSR. The main events began on August 19 and lasted three days. On the first day, documents from the leaders of the coup were read out. Vice-President of the USSR G. Yanaev, in a decree issued on his behalf, announced that he would assume “the duties of the President of the USSR” “due to the impossibility for health reasons of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to fulfill his duties.” The “Statement of the Soviet Leadership” announced the formation State Committee for the State of Emergency consisting of:

O.D. Baklanov, First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Defense Council;

V.A. Kryuchkov, Chairman of the KGB of the USSR;

V.V. Pavlov, Prime Minister of the USSR;

B.K. Pugo, Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR;

V.A. Starodubtsev, Chairman of the Peasant Union of the USSR;

A.I. Tizyakov, President of the Association of State Enterprises;

D.T. Yazov, Minister of Defense of the USSR;

G.I. Yanaev, Vice President of the USSR.

The State Emergency Committee issued an Appeal to the Soviet people, in which it was reported that perestroika initiated by Gorbachev failed, that, taking advantage of the granted freedoms, extremist forces arose that set a course for the liquidation of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the state and the seizure of power at any cost, and therefore the State Emergency Committee takes full power into its hands due to the need to protect the existence of the USSR and its Constitution. On August 19, the State Emergency Committee of the USSR adopted Resolution No. 1, which suspended the activities of parties, public organizations and mass movements, prohibited rallies, street processions, demonstrations, strikes, and the media were to come under the control of the State Emergency Committee.

August 19 by decision State Emergency Committee to Moscow troops were brought in. At the same time, the organizers of the coup did not dare to arrest B.N. Yeltsin, like other Russian leaders. Telephones and international communications of the White House were not turned off. At the press conference organized on August 19, the leadership of the State Emergency Committee behaved nervously, its leader G. Yanaev’s hands were shaking. The leaders of the State Emergency Committee could not provide a medical certificate about M.S.’s state of health. Gorbachev.

The Russian authorities, led by the President of the RSFSR B.N., took up the fight against the State Emergency Committee. Yeltsin. In the Decree of the President of the RSFSR of August 19, 1991, the actions of the State Emergency Committee were declared illegal: “all decisions taken by the so-called State Emergency Committee are considered illegal and have no force on the territory of the RSFSR” and spoke about the transfer of all executive authorities of the USSR to the direct subordination of the President of Russia. B.N. Yeltsin also made an appeal “To the Citizens of Russia” in which he called on the population to fight against the State Emergency Committee. The White House, in which the Russian government is located, was given the opportunity to immediately begin organizing resistance to the putsch.

B.N. Yeltsin reassigned to himself “all executive authorities of the USSR, the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, operating on the territory of the RSFSR.”

The overwhelming majority of the Russian population did not resist the State Emergency Committee's rise to power. During such a short period of time the State Emergency Committee was in power, the majority of citizens were unable to determine their attitude towards it. The prevailing mood in society was confusion.

But the coup was doomed, because... the leadership of the State Emergency Committee advocated outdated socialist values, in which the majority of the population no longer believed. An attempt to establish a state of emergency in the country ended in failure in Moscow. About 100 thousand Muscovites concentrated near the House of Soviets in Moscow to support the Russian leadership. Most of the troops brought into Moscow went over to B.N. Yeltsin. The outcome of the confrontation between the State Emergency Committee and the Russian authorities was decided August 20, when B.N. Yeltsin and his entourage were able to turn the tide of events in their favor and took control of the situation in Moscow. On August 21, the leaders of the State Emergency Committee flew to Crimea, to Foros, to see the President of the USSR, allegedly isolated by them. On the evening of the same day, members of the State Emergency Committee were returned to Moscow and arrested. M.S. also returned to Moscow. Gorbachev. On August 22, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR declared the creation of the State Emergency Committee illegal. On the same day M.S. Gorbachev made a statement that he qualified everything that happened as a coup d'etat. On the same day, a criminal case was opened against members of the State Emergency Committee. On August 23, during a meeting with deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, he was demanded to immediately sign a decree on dissolution of the CPSU. The President of the USSR accepted this and other ultimatums. The next day, August 24, 1991, M.S. Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, dissolved the Union Cabinet of Ministers. The CPSU Central Committee announced its dissolution. B.N. Yeltsin suspended the activities of the Russian Communist Party and banned the activities of parties in the Armed Forces of the USSR on the territory of the RSFSR. August 24 B.N. Yeltsin signed a decree appointing his representatives to the territories and regions of the RSFSR. As a result of all the events that took place, not only the communist regime fell, but also the state-party structures cementing the USSR collapsed.

The collapse of all other state structures began: the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR was dissolved, and for the transition period until the conclusion of a new union treaty between the republics, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR became the highest representative body of power; Instead of a cabinet of ministers, a powerless inter-republican economic committee was created, and most of the union ministries were liquidated. The Baltic republics, which sought independence for two years, received it. Other republics adopted laws that strengthened their sovereignty and made them virtually independent of Moscow.

On December 8, 1991, the Presidents of the Russian Federation (B. Yeltsin), Ukraine (L. Kravchuk) and Belarus (S. Shushkevich) signed an agreement in Belovezhskaya Pushcha on the termination of the existence of the USSR and the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. At the meeting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha of the President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev was not even invited.

On December 21 in Almaty, 11 republics that were formerly part of the USSR (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan) signed a Declaration confirming the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Soviet Union ceased to exist.

December 25, 1991 President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev announced on Central Television his voluntary resignation as President.

The collapse of the USSR is the result of the influence of a whole sum of objective and subjective factors. Permanent failures of economic reforms M.S. Gorbachev encouraged the republics to leave the Union. The weakening of the power of the CPSU, this core of the Soviet system, also led to the collapse of the USSR.

Literature

Barsenkov, A.S. Introduction to modern Russian history (1985-1991): Course of lectures. - M.: Aspect-Press, 1991. - P. 213-236.

Sogrin, V.V. Political history of modern Russia. 1985-2001: from Gorbachev to Putin / V.V. Sogrin. - M.: Publishing house "Ves Mir", 2001. - P. 86-102.

It was a crude and cynical deception. There was betrayal. There was a cold-blooded desire for blood to be shed. A lot happened in those August days of 1991.
But it was not the State Emergency Committee that did all this.
Only there was no putsch.
What happened in those days?

Gorbachev ordered his subordinates to restore order in the country. He, as a “democrat,” was not comfortable with this. The usual game - he is a good investigator, all his ministers are evil. The country's leadership (almost all with the exception of Gorbachev) had to, through emergency measures, stop the country from the collapse to which it was quite obviously heading.

When the Emergency Committee began to carry out the actions agreed upon and assigned to them, Yeltsin declared them traitors and putschists. And after him, the whole world repeated it. What about Gorbachev? But he simply didn’t pick up the phone in Foros. The stories about “blocking” Gorbachev at his dacha in Foros by “putschists” are complete nonsense. In the August days of 1991, one of the St. Petersburg journalists... called the Secretary General's dacha on a regular phone.

Gorbachev betrayed his subordinates. He deceived them. And together with the “putschists” who were confused EXACTLY for this reason, he betrayed and deceived his own people.

The State Emergency Committee had no plans for arrests or executions. That's why nothing was done. Gorbachev's government was waiting for instructions from him, but instead of these instructions, a communications vacuum formed. And from the Russian media there was propaganda of the ongoing “coup”.

Remember WHERE did the would-be coup-makers fly at the end? Where were they arrested? At Gorbachev's in Foros.

To understand the level of “seriousness of intentions” of the State Emergency Committee, it is enough to say that on August 19, 1991, the head of the KGB, Kryuchkov, held a meeting with the heads of departments. At which he spoke about the introduction of a state of emergency and... the formation of teams of security officers to harvest potatoes.

Betrayal. Deception. Blood.

“Revolution” always needs blood, it needs heroes. The State Emergency Committee did not intend to shoot. They didn't know what to do at all. Nowadays they no longer like to say that the future bright characters of Russian history of the 90s, paratrooper officers Pavel Grachev and Alexander Lebed, who guarded Yeltsin during the days of the “putsch”, were sent there ... by “putschists”. The paratroopers simply changed their commander and ceased to submit to the USSR Ministry of Defense, coming under the command of Yeltsin’s Minister of Defense. And with this replacement, they signed the death warrant for the country to which they swore allegiance.

Can you blame them now for what they did then?

But those who directed the bloody performance just didn’t have enough blood. It definitely had to be spilled. How to create the crimes of the “bloody regime”, in conditions when the regime itself was even afraid to think about a tough scenario of action? Remember the three guys who died in those days near the Garden Ring in Moscow? General Varennikov, one of the members of the Emergency Committee, later said: “There were young people on both sides of the barricades. They pushed her into provocation: to set up an ambush one and a half kilometers from the White House, on the Garden Ring. American and other film and television reporters were placed there in advance so that they would film an episode that no one knew about, neither the police nor, of course, the troops who were on patrol and were ambushed.”

The mobile patrol was attacked by a crowd that was deliberately provoked by provocateurs. At first the road was blocked by buses and trolleybuses. For what? This patrol was not sent anywhere and did not have any “special” mission. He PATROLED the streets of the capital. He didn’t shoot anyone, didn’t crush anyone. I was just passing by.

Then Molotov cocktails were thrown at the combat vehicles, and the guys who jumped on the armor began to close the viewing slots. The blind drivers of the combat vehicle could run over people. But that's what was needed. One of the demonstrators even opened the hatch. In response, strictly according to the regulations, fire was opened.

And foreign correspondents gathered around IN ADVANCE, as if KNOWING more than everyone else. You need to understand that this Russian tragedy was specially staged and carried out to discredit and further collapse our Motherland - the USSR.

An important fact: all the soldiers and officers of the patrol, who were later tried for the deaths of people, were acquitted. No one was convicted.
This fact is even more interesting. All members of the State Emergency Committee, all “putschists” were amnestied. And very quickly. In 1994, only one courageous General Varennikov appeared before the court, who refused the amnesty and demanded to be tried. As a result, he was acquitted by the court.

Now remember that an attempted coup d’etat and treason are the most serious crimes.

And the “putschists” were tried under such heavy charges. The same Varennikov stated at the trial: “...I have been charged with treason against the Motherland with the aim of seizing power, deliberately damaging state security and the defense capability of the country.” http://yeltsincenter.ru/books/delo-gkchp

Why is the punishment so incommensurate with the “crime committed”?

Because there was no putsch.

And the last thing I want to say. There was no putsch not only in 1991. He was not there in August 1917 either. There was no “Kornilov rebellion”. What happened in August 1991 exactly repeated the events of the summer of 1917. Then Kerensky (the head of Russia at that time) ordered his subordinate, commander-in-chief General Kornilov, to send troops into Petrograd and restore order. When Lavr Kornilov began to carry out his plans, Kerensky himself declared him a traitor and arrested him along with a group of senior officers. Accused of an attempt to seize power, which in fact never existed even in the thoughts of too honest Russian generals. After which Kerensky released the Bolsheviks from prison and distributed weapons to those who, in two months, would overthrow him, Kerensky, the “Provisional Government”.

And in August 1991, Gorbachev, having betrayed his country and his subordinates, returned from Foros weak-willed and powerless.

The scenario of August 1991 and 1917 is striking in its similarity.

An order to restore order. They are declared traitors for this. Confusion of the military. Their defeat is inevitable - after all, they were not prepared to fight. They were only preparing to carry out orders.

And then - the defeat of the country. Decay. Civil War. Yes, yes, exactly civilian. The war in Chechnya is a civil war. Russian citizens are killing Russian citizens.

So you ask me, what do I think about August 1991?

How do I feel on this day?

I'm sad. I'm in pain. I'm offended.

Time will pass and Russian history textbooks will finally be written in the interests of Russia itself. The truth will find its way. And the new leaders of Russia will know their history better than the “would-be putschists”, better than the leaders of the State Emergency Committee.

And for the third time, according to the same scenario, foreign scriptwriters will not be able to deceive Russia.

Is ignorance of history a trifle?

It's deadly.

Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR - Boris Karlovich Pugo. He will open a long list of strange suicides that will follow the death of the Great Country. Remember the people who were responsible for the finances of the CPSU, who will begin to jump from their high balconies onto the asphalt with enviable consistency.

But Pugo will be the first. He and his wife are found dead in their apartment. The official version is that the minister killed his wife and then shot himself.

But there are persistent rumors that there were two bullet holes in his head...

Chronology

1991, August 19 - 21 Anti-state putsch in Moscow
1991, December 8 Belovezhskaya agreement between the leaderships of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus on the dissolution of the USSR
1991, December 25 Resignation of M.S. Gorbachev from the post of President of the USSR
1992, January Beginning of radical economic reform in Russia

August 1991 State Emergency Committee. August putsch

An acute crisis of confidence in Gorbachev, his inability to effectively lead the country and control the socio-political situation was also manifested in his defeats in the fight against political opponents both “on the right” and “on the left”.

On August 5, 1991, after Gorbachev left for Crimea, conservative leaders began preparing a conspiracy aimed at suppressing reforms and restoring the full power of the center and the CPSU.

Putsch began on August 19 and continued three days. On the first day, documents from the leaders of the coup were read out. Vice President of the USSR G. Yanaev in a decree issued on his behalf, he announced his assumption of “the duties of the President of the USSR” “due to the impossibility for health reasons of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to fulfill his duties.” The “Statement of the Soviet Leadership” announced the formation State Committee for the State of Emergency composed of: O.D. Baklanov - First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Defense Council; V.A. Kryuchkov - Chairman of the KGB of the USSR; V.S. Pavlov - Prime Minister of the USSR; B.K. Pugo - Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR; A.I. Tizyakov - President of the Association of State Enterprises and Industrial, Construction, Transport and Communications Facilities of the USSR; G.I. Yanaev - acting President of the USSR. The names of the members of the State Emergency Committee were listed in alphabetical order; its formal leader, G. Yanaev, was listed at the end of the list.

The State Emergency Committee issued an appeal to the Soviet people, in which it was reported that perestroika initiated by Gorbachev failed that, taking advantage of the freedoms granted, extremist forces arose, setting a course for the liquidation of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the state and the seizure of power at any cost. Resolution No. 1, adopted by the State Emergency Committee, as a way out of the crisis, banned the activities of government and management structures that were not legalized by the Constitution of the USSR, suspended the activities of political parties, movements, associations, opposition CPSU, as well as the publication of disloyal newspapers, and restored censorship. The security forces were supposed to maintain the state of emergency.

August 19 by decision State Emergency Committee to Moscow troops were brought in. The center of resistance to the putschists became the Russian leadership, headed by the President of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin. He made an appeal “To the Citizens of Russia” and issued a decree that spoke of the transfer of all executive authorities of the USSR to the direct subordination of the President of Russia. The White House, in which the Russian government is located, was given the opportunity to immediately begin organizing resistance to the putsch.

August 19, 1991 at the White House

The outcome of the confrontation between the State Emergency Committee and the Russian authorities was decided August 20, when B.N. Yeltsin and his entourage were able to turn the tide of events in their favor and took control of the situation in Moscow. On August 21, members of the State Emergency Committee were arrested. M.S. also returned to Moscow. Gorbachev. On August 23, during a meeting with deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, he was demanded to immediately sign a decree on dissolution of the CPSU. The President of the USSR accepted this and other ultimatums. The next day he dissolved the Union Cabinet of Ministers and resigned from the post of General Secretary Central Committee of the CPSU. The CPSU Central Committee announced its dissolution. As a result, not only the communist regime fell, but also the state-party structures cementing the USSR collapsed.

On August 19, 1991, at six o’clock in the morning Moscow time, a “Statement of the Soviet leadership” was broadcast on radio and television, which read: “Due to the impossibility for health reasons of Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev to fulfill the duties of the President of the USSR and the transfer, in accordance with Article 127.7 of the USSR Constitution, of the powers of the President of the Union SSR to Vice-President Gennady Ivanovich Yanaev", "in order to overcome the deep and comprehensive crisis, political, interethnic and civil confrontation, chaos and anarchy that threaten the life and safety of citizens of the Soviet Union, the sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom and independence of our Fatherland" A state of emergency is introduced in certain areas of the USSR, and the State Committee for the State of Emergency in the USSR (GKChP USSR) is formed to govern the country. The State Emergency Committee was headed by: First Deputy Chairman of the USSR Defense Council O. Baklanov, Chairman of the KGB of the USSR V. Kryuchkov, Prime Minister of the USSR V. Pavlov, Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR B. Pugo, Chairman of the Peasant Union of the USSR V. Starodubtsev, President of the Association of State Enterprises and Facilities industry, construction, transport and communications of the USSR A. Tizyakov, Minister of Defense of the USSR D. Yazov, acting President of the USSR G. Yanaev.

Resolution No. 1 of the State Emergency Committee ordered the suspension of the activities of political parties and public organizations, and prohibited the holding of rallies and street marches. Resolution No. 2 prohibited the publication of all newspapers except the following: “Trud”, “Workers’ Tribune”, “Izvestia”, “Pravda”, “Red Star”, “Soviet Russia”, “Moskovskaya Pravda”, “Lenin’s Banner”, “Selskaya” life".

The resistance to the putschists was led by the President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin and the Russian leadership. Yeltsin's Decree was issued, where the creation of the State Emergency Committee is qualified as a coup d'etat, and its members as state criminals. At 1 p.m., the President of the RSFSR, standing on a tank, reads out an “Appeal to the Citizens of Russia,” in which he calls the actions of the State Emergency Committee illegal and calls on the citizens of the country to “give a worthy response to the putschists and demand that the country be returned to normal constitutional development.” The appeal was signed by: President of the RSFSR B. Yeltsin, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR I. Silaev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR R. Khasbulatov. In the evening, a press conference of members of the State Emergency Committee was shown on television, and the trembling hands of the acting President of the USSR G. Yanaev were visible.

On August 20, volunteer detachments of defenders (about 60 thousand people) gather around the House of Soviets of the RSFSR (White House) to defend the building from an assault by government troops. On the night of August 21, at about one in the morning, a column of airborne combat vehicles approached the barricade near the White House, about 20 vehicles broke through the first barricades on Novy Arbat. In the tunnel, blocked by eight infantry fighting vehicles, three defenders of the White House were killed - Dmitry Komar, Vladimir Usov and Ilya Krichevsky. On the morning of August 21, the withdrawal of troops from Moscow began.

At 11:30 a.m. on August 21, an emergency session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR began. Speaking to the deputies, Boris Yeltsin said: “The putsch occurred precisely at a time when democracy began to grow and gain momentum.” He reiterated that “the coup is unconstitutional.” The session instructed the Prime Minister of the RSFSR I. Silaev and the Vice-President of the RSFSR A. Rutsky to go to the President of the USSR M. Gorbachev and free him from isolation. Almost at the same time, members of the State Emergency Committee also flew to Foros. On August 22, on a TU-134 plane of the Russian leadership, USSR President M. Gorbachev and his family returned to Moscow. The conspirators were arrested by order of the President of the USSR. Subsequently, on February 23, 1994, they were released from prison under an amnesty declared by the State Duma. On August 22, 1991, M. Gorbachev spoke on television. In particular, he said: “... the coup d'etat failed. The conspirators miscalculated. They underestimated the main thing - that the people have become different over these, albeit very difficult years. He breathed in the air of freedom, and no one can take that away from him.”