ArmInfo. Nikolay Rizhkov, a great friend of the Armenian people, National Hero of Armenia, former head of the USSR government, passed away at the age of 95.
"A remarkable and radiant figure, Nikolai Ryzhkov, has passed away; a man of an era with a unique destiny and a statesman of unparalleled magnitude. He possessed a great soul," Chairwoman of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matvienko said on Telegram.
The cause of death has not been specified. As Russian media write, the date and place of the funeral have not yet been determined; the Upper House will organize the farewell, noted Vyacheslav Timchenko, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Rules and Organization of Parliamentary Activities.
Ryzhkov headed the Soviet government from 1985-1991. Since 2003, he has been a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation from the Belgorod region. In October 2023, he resigned early as a senator.
During the liquidation of the consequences of the devastating Spitak earthquake of 1988, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Nikolai Ryzhkov came to Armenia and supervised rescue efforts on the ground. Ten years later, in 1998, Ryzhkov visited Armenia again, but as a State Duma deputy. On December 7, 1998, bronze bust of Ryzhkov was opened on the street named after him in Spitak. The monument was erected on the initiative and at the expense of the former first secretary of the Spitak district committee of the Communist Party of Armenia Norayr Muradyan. This is a rare case when something like this happens during the lifetime of an honored figure. According to Nikolai Ivanovich, he came to Armenia on duty, but left his heart here. Nikolai Ryzhkov was awarded the title of National Hero of Armenia. This is the only non-Armenian figure who was awarded the highest state title of Armenia.