Victor Ilyin is the man who committed the most famous attempt on Brezhnev. The event took place in the winter of 1969, fortunately, ended, though not without loss, but happily for the Secretary General. Who is he and where from? Why did Ilyin try to kill Leonid Ilyich?
The inconspicuous lieutenant of the Soviet Army, who had no complaints about the service, did not cause rejection among his colleagues, suddenly became the most famous terrorist in the history of the USSR. What could push Viktor Ilyin to such a terrible, one might say, desperate act? Did he have accomplices?
Biography of the failed killer Brezhnev
Victor Ilyin, who tried in 1969 to kill the Secretary General of the USSR, was born at the end of December 1947, in Leningrad. The boy’s family was a heavy drinker, his parents did not pay attention to the child, and as a result were denied the right to raise him. Little Vitya was first transferred to the so-called "baby house", from where a childless couple took him.
Nothing is known about the people who raised the boy, educated him. It is only known that he graduated from secondary school, enrolled in a topographic college in his native city of Leningrad, upon graduation he was called up for military service in the SA.
In the technical school where Viktor Ilyin studied, there was a military department. In the guy’s diploma was indicated not only a profession, but also a military rank - he graduated as a junior lieutenant. This gave Ilyin some advantages in the service. He had the right to live at home with his adoptive mother and grandmother along her line, leaving for the military unit as if to work.
Junior Lieutenant Ilyin Viktor Ivanovich served in military unit # 61 (geodetic detachment) near Leningrad, in the city of Lomonosov. The part was classified, and now many experts are surprised at how an inexperienced guy managed to steal a weapon and voluntarily leave the duty post.
The attempt on Brezhnev - motives and execution of the plan
Experts consider the main motive that prompted Ilyin to attempt on Brezhnev, his psychological state. Already after the crime, it became known that the boy’s adoptive family was negatively disposed towards the current government and the regime as a whole. He himself was withdrawn, he had no friends. The reason for this was the fact that at the age of 10 he learned that his parents were adopted, while his mum and dad were hard-drinking alcoholics.
In addition, shortly before the assassination attempt, Ilyin’s girlfriend broke off relations with him, directly indicating that she did not see prospects in life with him. And the guy, deeply wounded by such an attitude, told her: "You will still hear about me!"
Victor Ilyin thought over his future crime in detail. At the end of January, the celebration of cosmonauts was planned in the capital of the USSR. Heroes had to ride on it as part of Brezhnev’s motorcade. Naturally, thousands of Soviet people also wanted to express their respect to them, even if they waved a hand at the cars in which they were. Ilyin decided that this was the best opportunity to express himself loudly by killing Brezhnev.
On the night of January 21-22, he seized the opportunity and stole military weapons from his post in part, left its location and went to the capital. The uncle lived with the guy in Moscow, and he stayed with him. He simply explained his arrival to him - he wanted to look, like the others, at the astronauts.
Ilyin stole the uniform of a policeman from a relative, after changing clothes, he entered the ranks of those who were cordoned off. When the General Secretary’s motorcade was passing by, Ilyin opened fire, and he shot with both hands at once. For Brezhnev, he took another person - George Beregovoy. The shooting lasted only 6 seconds, but during this time the driver of the car where the astronauts rode was killed, Beregova, Nikolaev, an escort motorcyclist were wounded.
Arrest and punishment
Brezhnev's failed killer, the most famous Soviet terrorist, was arrested immediately at the crime scene. Experts are sure that there was no escape in his plans, he needed only fame, albeit obtained in this way.
After the shooter was arrested in his mother’s apartments, uncles were searched, during which the police found notebooks with the criminal’s records. There was no direct indication that he was preparing the attempt on the Secretary General. Viktor Ilyin only made notes that you need to find out the time of a flight to Moscow, buy a ticket, and the like.
In Soviet times, such incidents, as a rule, were not made public. But Ilyin chose the only right path for fame - he committed a crime with a large number of "spectators".
Later, all the news related to him was covered in the press - arrest, place of detention pending trial, decision of the meeting. Viktor Ilyin received an unusual punishment for such a serious crime - he was placed in a psychiatric hospital in Kazan, where he was until 1988. Thanks to the efforts of the adoptive mother, later Ilyin was transferred to the Leningrad clinic.
