Dmitry Ustinov is a Soviet military leader and statesman. The Marshal of the Soviet Union was awarded a huge number of awards and was called the last defender of socialism.
Childhood, youth
Dmitry Fedorovich Ustinov was born in Samara in 1908. The future marshal grew up in a very simple family. His father was a worker and as early as 10 years old the boy had to work to help his parents. At the age of 14, he served in the military party detachments in Samarkand, created at factory party cells.
At 15, Ustinov volunteered for the Turkmenistan Regiment and fought with the Basmachi. After demobilization, Dmitry Fedorovich decided to continue his education and entered the vocational school. Having learned to be a locksmith, he first went to work at a paper mill, and then to a textile mill. In the city of Ivanovo (then Ivanovo-Voznesensk), he decided to get higher education, but without interruption from production. Ustinov entered the correspondence department of the Polytechnic University. An active young man was noticed and accepted into the Politburo, a little later entrusted with the leadership of the Komsomol organization.
In 1930, the future Minister of War of the country was sent to study at the Moscow Military Mechanical Institute, and then transferred to a higher educational institution in Leningrad, where he continued his education in the same field.
Career
Since 1937, Dmitry Ustinov began working as a designer at the Bolshevik factory and was rapidly moving up the career ladder, eventually becoming the director.
When the war began, Ustinov was appointed Commissar of Arms of the USSR. The appointment took place on the personal initiative of Lavrentiy Beria. Dmitry Fedorovich worked as People's Commissar until 1946. During the war, the production of weapons was one of the primary tasks of the country. Ustinov led a team of talented engineers, designers, and production directors. He proved himself as a talented leader.
Since 1946, Ustinov served as Minister of Arms of the USSR. While in this position, he brought to life the idea of Soviet rocket science. In 1953 he was transferred to lead the Ministry of Defense Industry. He headed this industry until 1957. During this time, the country's defense complex was modernized, a unique air defense system of the capital was developed. Under Ustinov, military science developed rapidly.
From 1957 to 1963, Dmitry Fedorovich headed the Commission of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers, and for the next 2 years was appointed deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers. Ustinov was distinguished by extraordinary performance. He only had a few hours a day to sleep. He could hold meetings until late at night. In this mode, Dmitry Fedorovich lived for decades and at the same time remained pep.
In 1976, Ustinov headed the defense ministry of the Soviet Union and worked in this position until the end of his life. Dmitry Fedorovich was part of the "small" Politburo of the USSR along with the most influential people of that time. The most important decisions were made at its meetings, which were then approved by the official composition of the Politburo.
During the service, Dmitry Fedorovich was awarded the following ranks:
- Lieutenant General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (1944);
- Colonel General of the Engineering and Artillery Service (1944);
- Army General (1976);
- Marshal of the Soviet Union (1976).
Ustinov was awarded the highest state awards:
- Hero of the Soviet Union (1978);
- twice Hero of Socialist Labor;
- Order of Suvorov;
- Order of Kutuzov.
Dmitry Fedorovich was awarded 11 orders of Lenin and 17 medals of the USSR.
