Central Committee

The Central Committee of the February Crisis Government, commonly referred to as the February Committee, comprises the seven-member governing council that assumed control of the Soviet Union following the successful coup d'état against Mikhail Gorbachev in February 1989. The committee functions as the supreme decision-making authority for both domestic and foreign policy, operating through consensus mechanisms that prioritize security apparatus input over traditional party structures. Western intelligence assessments indicate the committee represents a coalition of hardline Communist Party officials, senior military leadership, and security service commanders united by opposition to Gorbachev's reform policies and commitment to restoration of centralized authoritarian governance.

Core Leadership

Dmitri Timofeyevich Yazov - General Secretary

Dmitri Yazov assumed the position of General Secretary following his role as primary architect of the February coup. Yazov's background as a World War II veteran and career military officer shaped his fundamental opposition to Gorbachev's accommodation policies, particularly following the November 1988 Costa Rica confrontation. His military service included combat operations in the Battle of Berlin and subsequent postings in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, where he developed expertise in NATO military capabilities and doctrine. Yazov's appointment as Defense Minister in 1987 positioned him to observe what he characterized as dangerous erosion of Soviet military readiness under glasnost policies. Western intelligence assesses that Yazov views renewed confrontation with the United States as inevitable and considers military strength the primary determinant of superpower competition outcomes. His leadership philosophy emphasizes restoration of centralized party control over military and security apparatus, rejection of Western economic integration, and maintenance of Soviet sphere influence through decisive intervention capabilities.