1975 in the Soviet Union

1975 The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Incumbents General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union: Leonid Brezhnev Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union: Nikolai Podgorny Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union: Alexei Kosygin Events April 5 — The Soviet crewed space mission (Soyuz 18a) ends in failure during its ascent into orbit when a critical malfunction occurs in the second and third stages of the booster rocket during staging at an altitude of 192 km, resulting in the cosmonauts and their Soyuz spacecraft having to be ripped free from the vehicle. Both cosmonauts (Vasily Lazarev and Oleg Makarov) survive.Cosmonauts escape a close call launch https://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz18-1.html#:~:text=On%20April%205,%201975,%20a,the%20hostile%20border%20with%20China. Anatoly Zak July 28, 2025 2025-07-18 Russianspaceweb.com April 23 — The Soviet Union announced that they will back Israel if they were to withdraw from occupied Arab territories. May 9 — The 1975 Moscow Victory Day Parade is held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.Wren Christopher S. 1975-05-09 Soviet Takes Credit for Defeat of Germany on 30th Anniversary https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/09/archives/soviet-takes-credit-for-defeat-of-germany-on-30th-anniversary-every.html 2025-07-18 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 June 15 — The 1975 Estonian Supreme Soviet election is held in the Estonian SSR.Formation of the Supreme Soviet of the ESSR Olev Liivik http://www.mnemosyne.ee/old/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Olev_Liivik_-_Supreme_Soviet.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20210731191516/http://www.mnemosyne.ee/old/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Olev_Liivik_-_Supreme_Soviet.pdf 2021-07-31 2025-07-18 Estonian Institute of Historical Memory July 17 — Apollo–Soyuz Test Project: A crewed American Apollo spacecraft and the crewed Soviet Soyuz spacecraft for the Soyuz 19 mission dock in orbit, marking the first such link-up between spacecraft from the 2 nations.Robert Z. Pearlman 2025-07-17 50 years after a historic handshake in space, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project's legacy still resonates https://www.space.com/space-exploration/apollo/50-years-after-a-historic-handshake-in-space-the-apollo-soyuz-test-projects-legacy-still-resonates 2025-07-18 Space en August 1 — The Helsinki Accords is signed in an attempt to improve the détente between the Eastern Bloc and the West.Helsinki Accords Offer Terms for International Cooperation EBSCO Research Starters https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/helsinki-accords-offer-terms-international-cooperation 2025-07-18 www.ebsco.com en August 6 — The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet unanimously approved the Helsinki Accords, and a resolution praying "that all countries represented at the conference will live up to the agreements reached. As to the Soviet Union, it will act precisely in this way."1975-08-07 SOVIET ENDORSES HELSINKI ACCORD https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/07/archives/soviet-endorses-helsinki-accord-government-and-party-vow-to-observe.html 2025-07-18 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Births February 14 — Nika Gilauri, 8th Prime Minister of Georgia February 18 — Igor Dodon, 5th President of Moldova March 19 — Giorgi Gakharia, 14th Prime Minister of Georgia June 1 — Nikol Pashinyan, 16th Prime Minister of Armenia July 2 — Alexander Turchin, 11th Prime Minister of Belarus July 12 — Kristen Michal, 20th Prime Minister of Estonia August 3 — Evika Silina, 24th Prime Minister of Latvia October 15 — Denys Shmyhal, 18th Prime Minister of Ukraine Deaths February 24 — Nikolai Bulganin, 6th Premier of the Soviet Union (b. 1895) March 7 — Mikhail Bakhtin, philosopher and literary critic (b. 1895) July 17 — Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, writer (b. 1893) August 9 — Dmitri Shostakovich, composer and pianist (b. 1906) August 16 — Vladimir Kuts, long-distance runner (b. 1927) September 15 — Pavel Sukhoi, aerospace engineer and aircraft designer (b. 1895) October 13 — Balysh Ovezov, 12th First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR (b. 1915) November 19 — Viktor Avdyushko, actor (b. 1925) December 28 — Aleksey Kirichenko, 11th First Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine (b. 1908) December 30 — Elene Akhvlediani, painter, graphic artist and theater decorator (b. 1898) References