Soviet officer who averted nuclear war with US dies
September 19, 2017
Stanislav Petrov, a former Soviet military officer dubbed "the man who saved the world," has died. His split-second decision in 1983 averted unintended nuclear war.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. Killig
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Stanislav Petrov, a former Soviet military officer credited with averting nuclear war with the United States, has died at age 77.
Petrov was on duty at a secret Soviet early warning facility near Moscow in September 1983 when an alarm went off warning of a US intercontinental ballistic missile launch. The 44-year-old lieutenant colonel had to make a decision within minutes whether the Soviet Union was under attack.
He could have reported the alarm to higher-ups who may have ordered retaliatory strikes, but he instead decided it was a false alarm.
Cold War armaments still serve as staples of armies across the world, with Eastern bloc designs outlasting the system they were created to protect. DW looks at some of the best-known Soviet-made weapons.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Kovalev
Seven decades of Kalashnikov
The 30-round AK 47 is arguably the most recognizable firearm in the world. The Soviet engineer Mikhail Kalashnikov (pictured above in 2002) created the automatic rifle after World War II. It quickly earned a reputation for being cheap and reliable, with various armies, guerilla groups and street gangs all using the weapon to this day.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/S.Thomas
Makarov goes to space
The 9mm Makarov pistol entered service in 1951 as a staple sidearm for the Soviet army, police and Spetsnaz special forces. Soviet cosmonauts even took the weapon to space as a part of a special survival kit, which was provided to them in case they became stranded upon landing back on Earth.
Image: Imageo
MiG-29 still flying high
The Mikoyan MiG-29 first entered production in the early 1980s and was praised as a highly maneuverable and agile dogfighter. The original model has since been upstaged by both NATO fighters and its more expensive brother Sukhoi, but its variants are still deployed in combat. The Russian air force uses MiG-29s to target the so-called "Islamic State" forces in Syria.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L. Marina
Blast from the past
The Red Army used Katyushas to devastating effect against German soldiers in World War II. The multiple rocket launchers were attached to army trucks, making them cheap and highly mobile. Its distinctive whine and appearance reminded the German soldiers of a church organ, prompting a nickname "Stalinorgel" or "Stalin's organ."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/H.Brix
S-300 and its descendants
In 2016, Russia sold its advanced aerial defense system to Iran, but kept quiet on the details. The Cold War-era version of the S-300 had a range of 150 kilometers (93 miles), and could hit targets at altitudes above 27 kilometers, with the more modern Antey 2500 system reportedly expanding the range to 400 kilometers. India and China are seeking to buy the even-more-advanced S-400 missiles.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Rogulin
Dragunov sniper rifle
The Dragunov sniper rifle was first introduced to the Soviet army in 1963 and has since found its way to war theaters across the world. It was reportedly used against US soldiers in Vietnam. In 2015, the SITE Intelligence Group published photos of the "Islamic State" soldiers with Dragunov rifles.
Image: Imago
T-34, a symbol of an era
The Red Army owes much of its victory over Germany to the iconic T-34, which first appeared on the battlefield in 1941. The battle-tested T-34 eventually became the most widely produced tank of the war and influenced armored vehicles for decades. The Russian military still honors it by having it lead the Victory Day parade.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Tass/V. Sharifulin
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Quick decision, lasting peace
Petrov's split-second decision was memorialized in the 2014 documentary, "The Man Who Saved the World."
"I categorically refused to be guilty of starting World War III," Petrov said in the film. "I felt like I was being led to an execution."
The near-catastrophic incident didn't come to light until after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Despite very possibly having averted a nuclear war and the deaths of millions, Petrov never thought of himself as a hero, his son said. "He was always surprised that people were making a hero out of him," he said. "He simply did his job well."
Petrov died in May, but news of his passing only became public Tuesday after his German friend Karl Schumacher called to wish him a happy birthday only to be told by his son that he was dead.
