Pavel Nikolayevich Balakshin (, 10 July 1936 – 15 April 2024) was a Russian politician. He was the first Head of Administration of his home region,

Arkhangelsk Oblast Arkhangelsk Oblast ( rus, Архангельская область, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲskəjə ˈobɫəsʲtʲ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It includes the Arctic Ocean, Arctic archipelagos of Franz ...

, from 1991 to 1996.

Biography

Pavel Balakshin was born in the village of Dementyevo, Kotlassky District, Northern Krai (now Arkhangelsk Oblast) in a Russian working-class family. He began his career in 1952 at the Mir collective farm. He worked as a buoy operator, sailor, helmsman in the Northern river Shipping Company, then as a locksmith on the railway. From 1955 to 1958, he served in the

Soviet Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, the Red Army (1918–1946) and the Soviet Army (1946–1991), were the armed forces of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republi ...

as a mechanic of radar equipment. In 1959–85 he worked at the Kotlas Pulp and Paper Mill in Koryazhma. From 1987 to 1990 he was director general of Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, Novodvinsk.Honorary Citizens of the city of Arkhangelsk: Balakshin Pavel Nikolayevich
''Administration of Arkhangelsk'' From 1990 to 1991 he was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Arkhangelsk Regional Council of People's Deputies. On 19 September 1991, by the Decree of the President of Russia

Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician and statesman who served as President of Russia from 1991 to 1999. He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1961 to ...

, Balakshin was appointed head of administration of Arkhangelsk Oblast. In December 1993 he was elected a deputy of the

Federation Council The Federation Council, unofficially Senate, is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, with the lower house being the State Duma. It was established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation in 1993. Each of the 89 federal s ...

of the first convocation from Arkhangelsk Oblast. During Balakshin's administration, in 1995, dismantling of nuclear submarines in

Severodvinsk Severodvinsk (; ) is a city in the north of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia, located in the delta of the Northern Dvina, west of Arkhangelsk, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2021 Census, the population was 157,213. Due to the p ...

began along with removal of radioactive waste from the harbor. In January 1996 he became a member of the second Federation Council. He was elected a member of its Committee on Federation Affairs,

Treaty of Federation The Treaty of Federation () was a treaty signed on 31 March 1992 in Moscow between the Russian government and 86 of 89 federal subjects of Russia. The Treaty of Federation refers to three documents of the same content, signed by representatives ...

and Regional Policy. On 21 February, Balakshin was ousted from his post by presidential decree "for gross violations when using targeted loans, allocated for the delivery of products to the regions of the Far North." On 15 March 1996, Balakshin was removed from the Federation Council. On 8 December 1996, Balakshin became the first mayor of

Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near its mouth into the White Sea. The city spreads for over along the ...

to be directly elected. He occupied this position for the next four years. Balakshin died on 15 April 2024, at the age of 87.

Awards

Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" () is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree 442. Until the re-establishment of the Order of St. Andrew in 1998, it was the highest order of ...

4th class (6 January 1999) — for services to the state, high achievements in production activities and a great contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the nations * Honorary Citizen of the city of Arkhangelsk (28 April 2011)Pavel Nikolayevich Balakshin is assigned with the title of the honorary citizen of Arkhangelsk
/ref> *

Order of the Red Banner of Labor The Order of the Red Banner of Labour () was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, sports ...

Order of the October Revolution The Order of the October Revolution (, ''Orden Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii'') was instituted on 31 October 1967, in time for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was conferred upon individuals or groups for services furthering communis ...

USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize () was one of the Soviet Union’s highest civilian honours, awarded from its establishment in September 1966 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. It recognised outstanding contributions in the fields of science, mathem ...

in science and technology (1982, as a part of collective) — for the development of new technologies for the production of paper and cardboard

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balakshin, Pavel 1936 births 2024 deaths Governors of Arkhangelsk Oblast Mayors of Arkhangelsk Members of the Federation Council of Russia (1994–1996) Members of the Federation Council of Russia (1996–2000) Our Home – Russia politicians Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class Recipients of the Order of the October Revolution Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Recipients of the USSR State Prize People from Kotlassky District