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Petr AntropovSoviet statesman, Hero of Socialist Labor
Date of Birth: 03.10.1905
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Content:
Early Life and Education
Pyotr Yakovlevich Antropov was born into a peasant family in the village of Limaryo, Mordovia. Despite completing only a few grades of school, he began working at a young age due to the Russian Civil War. After completing the 2nd level of school in 1925, he worked at oil refineries in Grozny. In 1932, he graduated from the Moscow Geological Exploration Institute named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze with a degree in geological engineering.
Geological Career
Following his graduation, Antropov worked as a postgraduate student and then dean of the geological faculty at the same institute. He was soon appointed deputy director of the institute and in 1932 joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (VKP(b)). Subsequently, he held positions as deputy director and chief engineer of geological exploration trusts in Tashkent and Irkutsk. From 1935 to 1937, he served as director of the East Siberian Geological Exploration Trust.
Government and Military Career
From October 1937 to January 1939, Antropov headed the Main Administration of Lead-Zinc Industry within the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry of the USSR. From 1939 to 1940 and 1941 to 1942, he served as the First Deputy People's Commissar for Nonferrous Metallurgy of the USSR. However, in August 1942, he was arrested and investigated for abuse of office. He was released in September and appointed Deputy Member of the State Defense Committee under Anastas Mikoyan.
Atomic Project
In August 1945, Antropov became involved in the Soviet atomic project as deputy head of the First Main Administration of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, tasked with developing the atomic bomb. He was responsible for exploring and extracting uranium and thorium ores in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. After the successful test of a nuclear bomb, he was appointed head of the Second Main Administration, which supervised all uranium mining enterprises in the USSR and Eastern Europe. He ensured the supply of raw materials for the development of atomic bombs and the first Soviet thermonuclear bomb, tested in 1953.
Later Career
In 1954, Antropov was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor for his contributions to the atomic project. He later served as Deputy Minister of Medium Machine Building and Minister of Geology and Mineral Conservation. From 1963 to October 1965, he was deputy chairman of the State Committee for Medium Machine Building, and from October 1965, he was deputy Minister of Medium Machine Building. He was a Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for the 4th and 5th convocations and was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
