About
Nikolai Ivanovich Ryzhkov was a Russian politician who held significant positions in the Soviet Union. He served as the last chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, essentially the prime minister. Ryzhkov played a key role in implementing economic reforms during the Gorbachev era. He was also a rival to Boris Yeltsin in the 1991 presidential election of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
Career Timeline
Premier of the Soviet Union
Ryzhkov becomes Chairman of the Council of Ministers, second in command to Gorbachev.
Perestroika Implementation
Plays key role in trying to implement Perestroika economic reforms.
Defeated by Yeltsin
Loses presidential election to Boris Yeltsin.
Dissolution of the USSR
The Soviet Union dissolves; Ryzhkov's power vanishes.
Death in Moscow
Ryzhkov dies in Moscow; remembered as a reformer who failed to save the USSR.
Last Premier's Legacy
Ryzhkov's legacy rests on his role in the Soviet Union's final years. While his reforms were significant, they were ultimately insufficient.
Related Celebrities
Last updated: February 25, 2026