Valentin Varennikov

Valentin Varennikov

Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov (Russian: Валентин Иванович Варенников) (December 15, 1923 – May 6, 2009) was a Soviet/Russian Army general and politician, best known for being one of the planners and leaders of the Soviet-Afghan War, as well as one of the instigators of the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt.

Quotes

• I am happy because I, together with my fellow soldiers, with all the soldiers, with our people, achieved victory. When our consolidated regiments stood on Red Square, each of us was filled with this happiness and joy that we lived to see victory.
  • On his recollection of the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945
  • "Валентин Варенников: я счастлив, что вместе с народом добился победы" (6 May 1945)

• I am a military man. It is usually believed that a military man means that there must be a war. But I have been in many wars. And I think that that humanity in general, in principle, should not be engaged in collisions and dismantling these collisions, but should be engaged in saving our planet, our home where we live. no one will encroach, no one will destroy. We need to think about it.
  • "Ушёл из жизни Герой Советского Союза, генерал армии Валентин Варенников" (6 May 2009)

• Two years after the introduction of our troops in Afghanistan, it became clear to the General Staff that we were at an impasse.
  • "Герой Советского СоюзаНа 86-м году жизни в Москве скончался генерал армии Валентин Варенников" (7 May 2009)

• In August 1991 I confronted another enemy, the far more dangerous disguised enemy who wanted to destroy my motherland. I have no regrets about what I did, but I have a bitter feeling that we failed to save our country.
  • In a statement to the court during his trial in 1994 for involvement in the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt
  • "Anti-Gorbachev plotter, Soviet Gen. Varennikov dies" in Reuters (4 May 2009)

• Under Stalin, we were not buying wheat from the West, we were selling it on international markets. We didn’t go around the world asking for humanitarian aid and loans, we were granting them. That is the paradox.
  • As quoted in 1995, "Valentin I. Varennikov, Retired Soviet General Who Tried to Topple Gorbachev, Dies at 85" in The New York Times (8 May 2009)

• The reason for the collapse of the USSR was only the betrayal of Gorbachev and Yeltsin, who were led by the United States. The American administration has always, all the years, strived to destroy the USSR, and now Russia, and take advantage of our wealth.
  • "Горбачев сказал нам: "Действуйте, как хотите" "

• There are countries that have entered NATO, like Bulgaria, but their people and clergy do not recognize this. I believe that we should pay more attention to these countries, and even more so to attract those who were once part of the Soviet Union. I believe that the current unipolar world is gradually shaking and becoming multipolar.
  • "Горбачев сказал нам: "Действуйте, как хотите" "