Vitaly Vasilyevich Fedorchuk (Russian: Виталий Васильевич Федорчук) (27 December 1918 – 29 February 2008) was a Ukrainian Soviet statesman and politician.

Early life and education

Fedorchuk was born in the Zhitomir region of Ukraine to a peasant family in 1918. He was called up for military service in 1936 and then attended the Military Communications School in Kiev.

Career

Fedorchuk started his career as a local journalist. He joined the Soviet secret police in 1939 and served in the SMERSH from 1943 to 1947. Then he worked in East Germany and in the Soviet Embassy in Vienna as an intelligence officer from 1949 to 1967. In 1967, he was appointed head of the third directorate or military counterintelligence unit of the KGB where he served until 1970. He became the chief of the Ukrainian KGB in July 1970. He held the post until he was appointed chairman of the KGB on 26 May 1982, replacing Yuri Andropov and served for seven months until 17 December 1982.

He then became the Soviet interior minister in 1982, replacing Nikolai Shchelokov. His term ended in January 1986 and he was succeeded by Alexander V. Vlasov. After leaving office, Fedorchuk became an inspector at the ministry of defense and then, he retired.

Death and burial

Fedorchuk died in Moscow on 29 February 2008 at the age of 89. His body was buried at Moscow's Troyekurovskoye cemetery.