Tolstikov, Vasilii

Tolstikov, Vasilii Sergeevich 

Born Oct. 24 (Nov. 6), 1917, in Tula. Soviet party and state figure and diplomat. Member of the CPSU since 1948.

The son of an office worker, Tolstikov graduated from the Leningrad Institute of Railroad Transport Engineering in 1940. From 1941 to 1946 he served in the Soviet Army and fought in the Great Patriotic War (1941–45). He worked in Leningrad construction organizations from 1946 to 1952. Beginning in 1952, Tolstikov devoted himself to party and soviet work. He was first deputy chairman of the Leningrad city executive committee from 1957 to 1960. After serving as secretary and second secretary of the Leningrad oblast committee of the CPSU from 1960 to 1962, he held the post of first secretary of the committee from 1962 to 1970.

Tolstikov was named ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the USSR to the People’s Republic of China from September 1970 to 1978. He became a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU in 1961 and from 1962 to 1966 served on the Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPSU for the RSFSR. He was a deputy to the sixth through eighth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1962 to 1972.

Tolstikov has been awarded four Orders of Lenin, three other orders, and various medals.