Soviet Marshal Viktor Kulikov, who commanded the? Warsaw Pact forces for? more then 20 years, has died after a? lengthy illness, the? Defense Ministry said. He was 91.
His death on Tuesday leaves the? country with only two Soviet marshals, Dmitry Yazov, 88, and? Vasily Petrov, 96, Interfax reported,
Kulikov, who served in? World War II, was a? career military officer who rose to? the rank of? Soviet deputy defense minister in? 1971.
But he is best remembered for? commanding the? armed forces of? the Warsaw Pact? — a? military bloc formed to? counterbalance NATO that included Eastern European countries under the? Soviet umbrella? — from? 1977 to? 1989.
It was under his watch that cracks began to? appear in? the Soviet bloc, with Poland imposing martial law against the? Solidarity freedom movement in? 1981.
The? Polish Institute of? National Remembrance published a? conversation between Kulikov and? Poland's last Communist leader, Wojciech Jaruzelski, in? 2009 that indicated that Jaruzelski appealed to? Kulikov to? send Soviet troops into? Poland to? prop up the? government in? 1981.
But Jaruzelski, now 89, has maintained that he prevented a? Soviet military intervention and? a bloodbath, saying that Moscow was ready to? use force to? preserve its control of? Poland.
Thousands of? dissidents were arrested, and? some 100 people were killed during the? 18 months of? the clampdown.
Poor health prevents Jaruzelski from? standing trial on? charges that he violated the? law by? imposing military rule and? was the? leader of? an armed criminal group, as his military Cabinet of? the time is described in? the indictment.
His daughter Monika Jaruzelska, in? a new book about her family titled "Comrade Miss," writes that her father's "pessimism and? a sense of? fear determined many decisions … including that most important one."
Kulikov was born on? July 5, 1921, into? a peasant family in? a village in? the Oryol region. He graduated from? the Grozny military infantry school in? 1941 and? held various positions in? the armored division during World War II.
He most recently served as a? Soviet lawmaker and? then a? State Duma deputy, retiring from? the Duma in? 2003.
He lived in? Moscow and? is survived by? his wife, Maria, two daughters and? a number of? grandchildren and? great-grandchildren, RIA Novosti reported.
He is to? be buried on? May 31 at? Moscow's Novodevichy Cemetery.
Material from The Associated Press was included in this report.