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Soviet Leaders 1917–1991

Name all the Soviet Leaders from 1917 onwards till the collapse of the Union. Good luck!
Quiz by Kenny123
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Last updated: August 4, 2016
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First submittedJanuary 4, 2015
Times taken68,470
Average score57.1%
Rating4.32
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Years
Leader
1917–1924
Vladimir Lenin
1924–1953
Joseph Stalin
1953–1964
Nikita Khrushchev
1964–1982
Leonid Brezhnev
1982–1984
Yuri Andropov
1984–1985
Konstantin Chernenko
1985–1991
Mikhail Gorbachev
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94 Comments
Kenny123
+17
Level 40
Jan 6, 2015
Must say I'm surprised so few people got Khrushchev...
kalbahamut
+24
Level 82
Feb 4, 2015
I'm guessing they were tripped up by spelling. Also, you missed a few. But otherwise fine quiz.
kalbahamut
+5
Level 82
Feb 4, 2015
Actually just a couple, not really a few.
plattitude
+4
Level 92
May 4, 2016
@kal, I assume you're referring to Malenkov as one of the pair, who is the second? Yanayev's 2 day sprint?
ghujgmz
+2
Level 20
Dec 19, 2023
nikolai bulnagin
hannina
+8
Level 55
Jun 16, 2016
You're right about the spelling! It's very difficult, because Russian names are translated to Latin script with many different ways.For example in Finnish Khrushchev is spelled Hrustsov.
sinihipsukka
+7
Level 74
Jun 16, 2016
Or more specifically Hruštšov. :D
kalbahamut
+4
Level 82
Aug 22, 2019
yes, Yanayev. Hey, I typed him in...
MrKenny
+4
Level 67
Feb 26, 2020
to reply you and Hannina, spelling is the key : in french it's khrouchtchev and Brejnev
SeaNomad
+1
Level 78
May 12, 2022
In Finnish the most common spelling is Hrustsev.
tshalla
+4
Level 76
Jun 17, 2016
Ah, to live in such a simple world in which one can easily distinguish "dictators" from ... from ... well, what is the opposite of dictator? I almost said "legitimate leaders," but that implies only that a leader is in such a position legally. I could have said "democratic leader," but democracy is no black-and-white concept. In the future, I propose we take our cue from the policies of hegemonic powers over the ages and simply call leaders "good" and "bad."
kalbahamut
+12
Level 82
Aug 22, 2019
A big problem a lot of people have with language is that once a word acquires certain connotations these people ignorantly assume that the *meaning* of the word and the reason for its usage (always) has something to do with the later acquired connotation. A dictator is a ruler who has absolute power, and usually one who has acquired that power through coercion or force. It doesn't mean good or bad or illegitimate.
amm14
+6
Level 66
Feb 26, 2020
Which of these butchers are you trying to defend?
kalbahamut
+4
Level 82
Feb 27, 2020
and the opposite of a dictator would probably be something like a democratically elected senator in a constitutional republic without a chief executive where power is shared uniformly, or perhaps a citizen in a true direct democracy.
TjizzleDizzle
+2
Level 67
Feb 26, 2020
Next to this the linguistic characteristics of a country can also change how it is written within the same country. I studied history, and i've come across different ways of spelling the same russian name in at least 3 or 4 different ways in Dutch books (inconsistency in the old spelling and in the newer version (like, my generations update)).
Kenny123
+3
Level 40
Jul 11, 2015
I did not miss anyone within the time specified
TheWombat
+6
Level 73
May 5, 2016
What about Malenkov between Stalin and Krushchev?
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
May 5, 2016
He never really had power. He was only party leader for one week.
PatoPotato
+21
Level 54
Feb 16, 2018
Quizmaster, power or not, he was still leader
awesomeman259
+3
Level 49
Jun 22, 2019
He is listed as one of the leaders on the Wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_leaders_of_the_Soviet_Union
FlickerP
+5
Level 73
Dec 5, 2022
Using the logic that he could be excluded as he never had any power due to the short period as party leader presumably means we can exclude Liz Truss from the list of British PMs
Hedgehog76
+3
Level 67
Jan 19, 2023
I wouldn't include Malenkov, but as a compromise, it could be written in by default on grey background, like e.g. "Palestine" or "Ruhr area" in other quizzes.
CMJ
+7
Level 54
Oct 20, 2015
I knew them all, but only could spell 3 of them. :)
ChineseChen
+1
Level 66
Apr 13, 2020
You should use spell check.
tetra057
+3
Level 28
May 3, 2016
I spent all the remaining time trying to spell Khruschev. Try to avoid quizzes where K is an answer as I don't think I'll ever learn how to spell it.
JackintheBox
+1
Level 79
Feb 26, 2020
It's Khrushchev*.
JonOfKent
+4
Level 57
Jan 4, 2021
Agreed. "Krushchev in Kyrgyzstan" - the nightmare quiz.
sillie
+3
Level 77
May 4, 2016
Should make an exception and accept just "Nikita" as the surname is just impossible to spell. Luckily I managed to hit one of the accepted variations..
Kenny123
+1
Level 40
May 4, 2016
Nikita is now accepted!
Gamer1162
+7
Level 60
May 5, 2016
One question, can you really say they all were "dictators"?
Quizmaster
+9
Level ∞
May 5, 2016
"Unelected de-facto leader" might be more accurate, but I think dictator is a good-enough shortcut.
Matthew07
+1
Level 47
Jun 16, 2016
But the public didn't elect them.
Fianchetto
+1
Level 75
Apr 1, 2024
yup
foxpenguin
+11
Level 69
Jun 16, 2016
Leader would seem more fair
Baltimorean
+11
Level 67
Jun 16, 2016
Andropov apparently depended on dialysis to stay alive, which explains the following joke:

An American tourist asks a Muscovite, "Why is it that no matter how sick he was, Brezhnev always visited other countries and Andropov, sick or not, never leaves the country?"

"That's very simple," answers the Muscovite. "Brezhnev operated off of batteries. Andropov plugs into the wall socket."

chondrichthyess
+1
Level 61
Apr 6, 2017
That made me laugh just because it's so darn Russian, even if I didn't get the joke. I looked up the background on Brezhnev though and now it makes more sense to me.
rabble
+1
Level 68
Dec 5, 2022
Is it a cocaine/amphetamine joke?
Sulps
+2
Level 56
Jun 16, 2016
To those of you that still think Malenkov led the Soviet Union, search "bald-hairy" in Wikipedia. If you're too lazy for that: Stalin was hairy, therefore the next leader had to be bald. Thus Malenkov (hairy) did not fit, but Khrushyov (bald) did.
MrKenny
+1
Level 67
Jun 16, 2016
How can Brejnev (in french) become Brezhnev (in English) ... you should accept both as it was impossible to guess for us
Cedo
+4
Level 39
Jun 16, 2016
That's a quizz in english. He can't add all the versions for all the languages..
MrKenny
+1
Level 67
Jun 16, 2016
there ain't a lot you know ...

Brejnev / brezjnev / brezhnev

Yeltsin / Eltsine / Ieltsine

Gorbachev / Gorbatchev

Cyrillic transcription ain't an exact science

MrKenny
+1
Level 67
Jun 16, 2016
and Khrushchev / Khrouchtchev ...
JonOfKent
+3
Level 57
Dec 5, 2022
I remember when a French friend of mine discovered that, in English, Monsieur Poutine is referred to as Mr Putin. Hilarity was unconfined.
Thorvald
+3
Level 70
Jun 20, 2016
Impossible for you? What shall we (Slavs who use Latin alphabet) say? For example, in Polish it goes like that: Lenin, Stalin, Chruszczow, Breżniew, Andropow, Czernienko, Gorbaczow
camus
+1
Level 78
Feb 26, 2020
Chruschtschow, Chruščëv, Chroesjtsjov, Khrusjtjov, Ĥruŝĉov, Breschnew, Brežnev, Brezjnev, Bresjnev, Breĵnev... at least most of us agree on Nikita and Leonid.
Hedgehog76
+1
Level 67
Jan 19, 2023
Yeah, I think Lenin and Stalin is the same in all languages. And for Andropov/Andropow it's only the last letter that languages differ, as far as I know.
bostjan
+3
Level 72
Feb 26, 2020
By this logic, though, you'd have to also add: Brezjnev, Bresjnev, Brezsnyev, Breznev, Brschnew, Breznjev, Brezniew, Breznevs, Breznevas, etc... (there are dozens more spellings in other languages). I don't think it's the writer's responsibility to make sure the spelling is the same in languages other than the language of the quiz.
balok
+1
Level 45
Jun 16, 2016
Why is it that "Gorbachov" is accepted as an alternate spelling for "Gorbachev," but "Tchernenko" is not accepted as an alternate spelling for "Chernenko"?
YamatoFans
+1
Level 69
Jun 19, 2016
You can see in the page source. The acceptable answers for Gorbachev are Gorb ch v . For Chernenko it has to start with "Ch".
kbgambrill
+1
Level 76
Jun 16, 2016
Gennady Yanayev????
Thorvald
+2
Level 70
Jun 20, 2016
If Malenkov with his week of power is not counted, then Yanayev with his 2,5 days has no chance ;)
jmellor13
+2
Level 67
Jun 16, 2016
Got kinda stuck and tried rattling off the lyrics to "We Didn't Start the Fire." Helped me get Khrushchev.
BrosephStalin
+3
Level 65
Jun 17, 2016
It's kind of crazy how long Stalin was in power. From before World War II, through the war, and into the Cold War. I guess that's why some people in Russia still like him. The Soviet Union went from a backwards, unstable agrarian country to a nuclear-armed industrial superpower more powerful than the Russian Empire ever was. But was all the death and oppression worth it? Certainly not.
LadyMary
+9
Level 38
Jun 18, 2016
Dictators?? ALL of them? Are you kidding me?
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Jun 18, 2016
Well they weren't democratically elected...
Tramp
+5
Level 76
Feb 8, 2019
Hitler was democratically elected. A dictator is just somebody with absolute power, and it can be difficult to draw the line when a leader is/isn't a dictator at times.
Ghawnada
+2
Level 55
Feb 26, 2020
Can't be reduced to black and white so simply. The choice of word could be better. Welcome quiz, nevertheless.
Froststar101
+1
Level 73
Apr 22, 2021
@Tramp Hitler was never democratically elected to any office, what are you talking about? In fact, Hitler wasn't even a German citizen until 1932 and wasn't able to run for office.
amm14
+3
Level 66
Feb 26, 2020
Is your position that there were meaningful checks on their power, or that "dictator" is too negative, or something else?
Natascha
+1
Level 52
Jun 19, 2016
Please please allow for different spellings. I knew them all, but did not stand a chance.
Kenny123
+1
Level 40
Jun 19, 2016
Please suggest spellings and I will be happy to add acceptable ones.
teke
+8
Level 65
Jun 25, 2016
I'd prefer the quizzes to be politically neutral. Calling all soviet leaders "dictators" is a political statement and a personal point of view. "Soviet Leaders" would be a neutral and accurate title.
Kenny123
+3
Level 40
Jun 25, 2016
They were dictators by any definition of the word. A person who wields absolute authority, which the Soviet leaders did.
tcookiem
+3
Level 59
Nov 21, 2021
But why use that word instead of something like "leader"?
kalbahamut
+1
Level 82
Dec 5, 2022
Why use leader instead of dictator?
ChocolateMoose
+1
Level 28
Oct 12, 2016
I only got Joseph Stalin...
divantilya
+1
Level 36
Apr 9, 2018
Where do Yeltsin and Gromyko fit in this puzzle?
Kenny123
+4
Level 40
Apr 9, 2018
Yeltsin led the Russian Federation, not the USSR
wolverineinohio
+1
Level 44
Apr 23, 2018
thanks reagan
lbrezhnev
+2
Level 31
May 12, 2018
What about Malenkov? His reign was short but he was one of the leaders nonetheless.
Tramp
+1
Level 76
Feb 8, 2019
Yeah, I really think he should be on here too
LincolnIsTheBestOne
+1
Level 63
Feb 2, 2019
Got them all with 0:15 remaining at 2:53:59 PM on February 2, 2019, increasing my point total to 751 and my level from level 28 to level 29.
IsleAuHaulte
+1
Level 89
Apr 23, 2019
Pretty easy if you were alive and aware during the '80s as only 3 biggies preceded that time.
mountainguy
+4
Level 58
Sep 5, 2019
A good way to remember them is once you find that the USSR politics were governed by the bald/hairy opposites:

Lenin: bald

Stalin: hairy

Kruschev: bald

Brezhnev: hairy

Andropov: somewhat bald

Chernenko: somewhat hairy

Gorbachov: bald

Penguin47
+1
Level 58
Dec 3, 2019
Comrade Penguin got all of them.
KURWA
+1
Level 59
Feb 26, 2020
please accept more names. I typed in Bretsjnev.
Nic1428
+2
Level 45
Feb 26, 2020
Shouldn't you add Georgij Malenkov, he was leader briefly from march 6th 1953 to march 14th 1953 after Stalin's death
IXON009
+1
Level 39
Feb 26, 2020
I got a bad resut because I don't know how to spell them :D Only in my mother tongue... :(
tazaja
+2
Level 58
Feb 26, 2020
you forgot putin ;)
NINJAQKk
+1
Level 69
Feb 26, 2020
Don't ask who Joe is.
AlekHek
+2
Level 48
Feb 27, 2020
Stalin wasn't a direct successor to Lenin. From 1924-1929 the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union was Alexei Rykov. You should probably edit that
Hampus
+1
Level 56
Nov 26, 2020
Spelling got me
JohnnyYeet
+1
Level 58
Dec 23, 2020
It should be Soviet Leaders 1922-1991, the USSR was not declared until December 30th, 1922.

It doesn't change the answers either, because Lenin was the leader of the Soviet Union for a little more than a year.

larrylevine
+1
Level 67
Jun 25, 2021
Can't believe I missed "Chernenko". Hunt for Red October is a favorite of mine. They mention him by name in the movie.
davrousseau
+1
Level 68
Nov 18, 2021
What about Malenkov?
Irishboy11
+1
Level 39
Jan 30, 2022
What About Georgy Malenkov
YTBRSosyalEmre
+1
Level 65
Dec 5, 2022
5/7 at first attempt

Just missed Andropov and Chernenko

reegis
+1
Level 67
Dec 5, 2022
This quiz needs more than a minute - a common theme with this site.

Unless you really know your stuff you're not going to get them all in a minute. If you have a few more minutes to think about it you'll drag a few names up from memory, and that's the fun of it. For a list quiz like this I can see absolutely no benefit or logic in restricting the time so much.

rabble
+2
Level 68
Dec 5, 2022
So in the 80's, was it rumored that the USSR was dissolving? From what I've heard, it came as a surprise to the US intelligence agencies(?). Maybe that was just in relation to the coup.

Just seems like going from reigns of 30 years, to 20, then 2, 1, 6, would be a bit of a contrast.

But hindsight is 20/20. And I guess some had health problems. I doubt people would be worried at the time over Harrison or Taylor.

BobIsACoprophage
+1
Level 61
Dec 5, 2022
I'm not sure how much truth there is to it, but I once heard a joke about Reagan's reaction to Chernenko's death after two other recent Soviet leaders' deaths. Reagan supposedly once said something along the lines of the punchline, but the circumstances are most likely made up. Anyway, here's the joke:

It's late at night at the White House. An intelligence officer, flanked by a Secret Service agent, bursts into president Reagan's bedroom. The officer wakes up the president, who is initially annoyed but becomes concerned when he sees the urgency on the officer's face. The officer informs Reagan that Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko is dead, after falling into a coma a few hours earlier. Reagan's expression changes back to annoyed, almost angry. "God damn it! How am I supposed to get through to the Russians if they keep dying on me"?

RobNobody
+1
Level 77
Dec 5, 2022
I can never remember Leonid Brezhnev, but can always get Yuri Andropov because of an old joke (I think from Johnny Carson?) about Yuri's brother Shrivelup.
WildStrawberries
+1
Level 51
Dec 7, 2022
It really all went downhill after Lenin!
MhMd
+2
Level 57
Dec 8, 2022
Leaders not dictators
7elteven
+1
Level 32
Dec 8, 2022
Malenkov?
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