Anastasia Filatova

Anastasia Ivanovna Filatova (, , 4 February 1920 – 21 October 2001) was a Russian wife of the Mongolian leader Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal.

Early life Filatova was born in Sapozhok in Ryazan Oblast into a family of five. Soon after leaving school, she moved to Moscow, where she became a Komsomol organizer within the Ministry of Trade. In 1941, she had a fiancé, who served in the Red Army at the front. After they separated in 1943, she met Tsedenbal while he was visiting.

First Lady In Mongolia, she was first received with caution as many considered her to be a kind of Soviet overseer, keeping an eye on Mongolian politicians. Her marriage to the leader of Mongolia was in itself considered a conduit of the influence of Nikolai Vazhnov (Soviet ambassador) and with the blessing of the Premier Khorloogiin Choibalsan.

Keeping a low profile in the 1950s and the 1960s, Filatova aspired to a political role of her own in her later years. She relied on the authority of her husband to subtly influence the Mongolian political landscape. She also built up connections with officials such as Vyacheslav Molotov (who served as ambassador to the MPR at this time) and relied on the influence of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev whom she regularly "begged" for funds for a Palace of Pioneers and Young Technicians, pioneer camps, swimming pools and a Children's Fund. During her last years, she lived in poverty and was often forced to sell her things in order make ends meet. The Nairamdal International Children's Center, located on the Bayangol Valley 30 km from Ulaanbaatar, was built in 1970s, which is the brainchild of Filatova. The center aimed to host international summer youth exchange programs with both Eastern bloc and Western countries. A statue of Filatova is erected in front of the center.