Photos of generals participating in the arrest of L.P. Beria

A rare photograph showing the generals involved in the arrest of Lavrenty Beria with K.S. Moskalenko in the center. Judging by the caption on the back of the picture, the photo was taken on the day of the arrest. The fact is that, having enlisted the support of the majority of members of the Central Committee of the CPSU and high-ranking military officials, Khrushchev convened a meeting of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU on June 26, 1953. Among others, Khrushchev voiced accusations of revisionism, an anti-socialist approach to the aggravated situation in the GDR, and espionage in favor of Great Britain in the 1920s. Beria tried to prove that if he was appointed by the Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU, then only the Plenum could remove him, but on a special signal, a group of generals led by Marshal Zhukov entered the room and arrested Beria. "First, we ordered the arrest of Beria Moskalenko and five generals. He and his comrades were supposed to have guns, and Bulganin was supposed to take them to the Kremlin with guns. At that time, the military, coming to the Kremlin, handed over their weapons at the commandant's office. On the eve of the meeting, Marshal Zhukov and several others joined Moskalenko's group. And 10 or more people entered the office. And Malenkov says so softly, addressing Zhukov: "I suggest you how Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR to detain Beria.“ Zhukov commanded Beria, "Hands up!" Moskalenko and others drew their weapons, believing that Beria might go on some kind of provocation. Beria rushed to his briefcase, which was lying on the windowsill behind him. I grabbed Beria by the arm so that he could not use the weapon if it was in the briefcase. Then we checked: there were no weapons there, neither in the briefcase nor in the pockets. He just made some kind of reflex movement," from the memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev, first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU. The image size is 227*175 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

Kirill Semyonovich Moskalenko (Ukrainian: Kirilo Semyonovich Moskalenko; April 28 (May 11), 1902, village of Grishino, Yekaterinoslav province, Russian Empire — June 17, 1985, Moscow, USSR) was a Soviet military commander. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1943, 1978), Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (1956-1985). Deputy of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd and 11th convocations (1946-1985) from the RSFSR (11th convocation). After the war, K. S. Moskalenko commanded the 38th Army, which was transferred to the Carpathian Military District. Since August 1948, he has been commander of the Moscow Air Defense District. He led the military group he had assembled that arrested Lavrentiy Beria in June 1953: "First, we ordered the arrest of Beria Moskalenko with five generals. He and his comrades were supposed to have weapons, and Bulganin was supposed to bring them to the Kremlin with weapons. On the eve of the meeting, Marshal Zhukov and several other people joined Moskalenko's group," Khrushchev recalled. Since June 1953, he has been Commander of the Moscow Military District. He recalled: "Khrushchev said that I had been appointed commander of the Moscow Military District and was personally responsible for the arrested Beria." Moskalenko, together with the Prosecutor General of the USSR, Roman Andreevich Rudenko, participated in the investigative measures in the case of Beria and his associates. He was a member of the Special Judicial Presence of the Supreme Court of the USSR in December 1953, which sentenced L. P. Beria and a number of people close to him to death. In 1955, he was awarded the military rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.