The Russian politician and statesman gained fame thanks to his participation in popular television talk shows. Vyacheslav Nikonov is now distinguished by consistent support for the official position on all key issues of international and domestic politics. He is very proud of his famous grandfather, Vyacheslav Molotov.
Early years
Vyacheslav Nikonov was born on July 5, 1956 in the Soviet capital, in a family of responsible Soviet scientists. Both parents were doctors of historical sciences. Father, Alexei Nikonov, after serving in the NKVD, taught at MGIMO (he had the title of professor), then studied science at IMEMO, worked as editor of the Kommunist magazine. Mom, Svetlana Molotova, was the only daughter of high-ranking party and government officials - Vyacheslav Molotov and Polina Zhemchuzhina (at birth: Pearl Solomonovna Karpovskaya). Historian by education.
Vyacheslav received his secondary education in Moscowspecialized school for gifted children. Studying at an elite educational institution (special school No. 1) provided ample opportunities for continuing education and a future career. From childhood, Vyacheslav Nikonov was distinguished by prudence and good behavior. School teachers often set him as an example, and he equally easily coped with both the humanities and the natural sciences.
University years
Probably, it was not too difficult for a young man who grew up in a family of two highly qualified historians to decide on a profession. Moreover, in Soviet times, in addition to prestige, the history department of an elite university gave almost a direct ticket to power. In 1973, Vyacheslav Nikonov entered Moscow State University, where he specialized in the Department of Modern and Contemporary History. Already at that time, he hoped to make a career in public administration.
During the years of study, he joined the party, which was quite common at the faculty, since teachers of the History of the CPSU were trained here. Nikonov was a convinced and active communist, which was appreciated by his fellow students, who elected him the secretary of the Komsomol committee. In addition to the main subjects, during the years of study he learned English and French at the level of fluency. In 1977, he took part in the third season of the television intellectual game "What? Where? When?", Which in those years was one of the most popular programs on Soviet television. At the same time, as he himself recalled, he got into the team of experts quite by accident. First experiencehe remembered well his appearances on television, but he was not interested in developing in this direction.
First management experience
After graduating from university in 1978, a young and promising specialist was left to work at his native department. Over the years of his work at Moscow State University, he became one of the leading Soviet Americanists, defending first his Ph. D. and then his doctoral dissertations on the history of the US Republican Party. Gradually he moved up the career ladder, first taking the position of junior and then senior researcher. In 1988 he was elected secretary of the party committee of his native faculty, an elective position gave the "green light" to the top of the Soviet nomenklatura.
A year later, Vyacheslav Nikonov was already working in the central apparatus of the Communist Party as an instructor. The young party functionary coped well with difficult work, and soon he was appointed head of the sector of the Central Committee of the CPSU. Of course, outstanding personal qualities contributed to the rapid growth in the Soviet hierarchy, but the corresponding origin also played a significant role. In addition, the relatively young general secretary tried to renew the party cadres.
Following in father's footsteps
With the beginning of perestroika, he was transferred to the office of the President of the Soviet Union, as Vyacheslav Nikonov himself later said, he was part of Gorbachev's team. In the new hierarchy, he still quickly moved up the career ladder, working as an adviser, then assistant to the head of the President's Office. ATIn 1991, during the suppression of the coup, he had to become witnesses during the arrest of the Vice-President of the USSR Gennady Yanaev.
In 1991, as a person with an impeccable reputation and origin, he was invited to work in the state security agencies. Moreover, to the high position of assistant to the Chairman of the KGB of the USSR Bakatin. In the same year, a scandal erupted, actually connected with a betrayal of state interests, when the KGB leadership handed over to the United States the layout of listening devices in the American embassy. Vyacheslav Nikonov spoke in support of such a decision. In those years, he adhered to liberal views, supporting the reform of law enforcement agencies and actually contributing to the collapse of the country.
For the first time in the Duma
In 1992, he briefly worked in the political council of the interregional exchange union. The following year, he was elected to the State Duma for the first time on the list of the Party of Russian Unity and Accord, headed by Sergei Shakhrai. In parliament, he de alt with issues of international security and arms control. Molotov's grandson, Vyacheslav Alekseevich Nikonov, adequately continued family traditions, joining the elite ruling the country.
In 1995, he was investigating the causes of the crisis situation and de facto independence in the Chechen Republic as deputy chairman of the parliamentary commission. The following year, as Deputy Chairman of the Coordinating Committee, he participated in the election campaign in support of presidential candidate Boris Yeltsin.
Currentlytime
All subsequent years in the biography of Vyacheslav Nikonov were a time of further gaining political weight. He was a member of the Committee on Budget and Taxes, since 2011 he has been the head of the Committee on Education of the State Duma.
Since 2007, she has been working in the leadership of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, created to popularize Russian culture and language. Appointed by the President of Russia Putin V. V. Photos of Vyacheslav Nikonov from various events constantly appear in the country's leading publications. He is an active participant in political talk shows on Russian television, and since 2018, together with the American political scientist Dmitry Simes, he has been broadcasting The Great Game on Channel One.
Great Ancestor
As an exemplary grandson, Vyacheslav Alekseevich Nikonov is practically the official biographer of his grandfather Vyacheslav Molotov. He always speaks of him with warmth, considering him a model of a patriot and statesman. He wrote two books about the life of the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR.
In 2016, on Victory Day, he walked with a portrait of his grandfather in Nizhny Novgorod in the procession of the Immortal Regiment. As he himself explained, he walked in a column with a portrait of Molotov, because during the war years he worked as deputy chairman of the State Defense Committee of the USSR, and was also a member of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the USSR. For him, this is a very personal occasion. In childhood, he recalls, the family always celebrated Victory Day with his grandfather Vyacheslav Mikhailovich. After allit was Molotov who announced the beginning of that terrible war to the country, saying, among other things, on June 22, 1941: "Our cause is just, the enemy will be defeated and victory will be ours!".
Personal Information
The personal life of Molotov's grandson Vyacheslav Nikonov was quite stormy, if I may say so about a man who was married three times. The first time he married while still a student. Olga Mikhailovna was a simple housewife, an economist by profession, originally from Poltava. Son Alexei was born in 1979 the next year after his father graduated from the university. He is now an American citizen and works as an adviser to the President of the Politika Foundation. The politician has two sons from his second marriage. Little is known about the personal life of Vyacheslav Nikonov of this period.
Now married to Nina Mikhailovna Nikonova, the same age as her eldest son. The wife is engaged in business, is a deputy from United Russia in the Smolensk Regional Duma. The couple had a son in 2012.
The politician speaks English and French. In her spare time she likes to read, especially books on history, philosophy and political science. While studying at the university, he was engaged in middle-distance running.
