The "Black Colonel" is gone

Colonel of Aviation, People's Deputy of the USSR and the State Duma Viktor Alksnis died. He became famous when he defended the coup in August 1991.

"My dad, Viktor Imantovich Alksnis, has passed away," his daughter Irina wrote on the Black Colonel telegram channel.

He said that on the night of December 30, Dad had a hemorrhagic stroke, he immediately fell into a deep coma.

"Many thanks to the doctors, nurses and all the staff of the vascular intensive care unit of the Mytishchi Regional Clinical Hospital, where Dad spent the last three days. They not only did everything for Dad, but also helped us, his family, to cope with the grief that fell on us," Irina added.

Aviation Colonel Viktor Alksnis was elected People's Deputy of the USSR, deputy of the Supreme Council of Latvia and the State Duma of Russia. He was known for opposing the collapse of the Soviet Union and supported the August coup in 1991. He received the nickname "Black Colonel".