Premier of the Soviet Union

Premier of the Soviet Union
Глава Правительства СССР (Russian)
State Emblem of the Soviet Union
Longest serving Alexei Kosygin 15 October 1964 – 23 October 1980
Style	Mr. Premier (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Type	Head of government
Reports to	Supreme Soviet
Residence	Kremlin Senate, Moscow
Appointer	Supreme Soviet
Formation	6 July 1923; 101 years ago (1923-07-06)
First holder	Vladimir Lenin
Final holder	Ivan Silayev
Abolished	26 December 1991; 32 years ago (1991-12-26)
Succession	Prime Minister of Russia
Deputy	First Deputy Premier Deputy Premier

The Premier of the Soviet Union (Russian: Глава Правительства СССР) was the head of government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). From 1923 to 1946, the name of the office was Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, and from 1946 to 1991 its name was Chairman of the Council of Ministers. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, its name was briefly Prime Minister and later Chairman of the Committee on the Operational Management of the Soviet Economy. The first Soviet premier was the country's founder and first leader, Vladimir Lenin. After 1924, when General Secretary of the Communist Party Joseph Stalin rose to power, the de facto leader was the party's General Secretary, with Stalin and his successor Nikita Khrushchev also serving as premier. Twelve individuals held the post.