Born in Kazan into a working-class family. Became a Bolshevik in 1907. Repeatedly subjected to repressions by the tsarist government. During the Civil War he was chairman of the Rogozhsko-Simonovsky District Soviet of Moscow and a member of the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet. His activities were highly praised by V.I. Lenin. Afterwards he worked at the Dynamo factory, first as metal worker and then as "red director". Being a capable production organiser he was promoted to the post of board chairman of the State Electrotechnical Trust. At the 12th Party Congress in 1923 he was elected member of the Central Committee of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks).
Ukhanov was in charge of the capital's economy during the final stage of NEP and at the beginning of the industrialisation of the country. Under his leadership the large-scale reconstruction of the capital's industry, including such factories as Dynamo, the automobile factory, the Serp i Molot plant and V.I. Lenin factory, was undertaken. New industrial giants such as the Electric Factory, Frezer, GPZ-1 and others were created.
Ukhanov said: "Moscow, a city in which colossal funds are being spent on building projects, must have a concrete plan for future building. We have to know how and according to what manner Moscow should be built." In June 1931 the Plenum of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) adopted a decision entitled "On the Moscow City Economy and the Development of City Economies in the USSR". Ukhanov joined the work so energetically that even I.V. Stalin , who was extremely sparing with compliments, noted in his report to the 15th Party Congress in 1927 that the former metal worker was coping quite well with the duties of "red mayor".
Along with true achievements 1926-1931 also heralded significant losses for Moscow. It was during this period that, due to pressure brought to bear by the superior party and Soviet bodies, a great number of historic monuments were destroyed. In 1927, for example, the famous Kras-nye (Red) Gates of Moscow were torn down. Churches were closed and re-equipped for other purposes. Private cooperative enterprises were also closed.
After Moscow was separated from the Moscow Region in 1931 and became a separate administrative and economic unit, Ukhanov for some time headed the Moscow Regional Soviet. In 1932 he started working as the Deputy People's Commissar of Provisions of the USSR. In 1934 he became the People's Commissar of Local Industry of the Russian Federation. From 1923 to 1937 he was a member of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Repeatedly elected as member of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee and the Central Executive Committee of the USSR.
In 1937 he was executed on charges of "counter-revolutionary activities". Rehabilitated in 1955.
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