Fedor Ovchinnykov

Fedor Yakovlevich Ovchinnikov (; 18 February 1925 – 1 July 1994) In 1931, his family moved to Moscow. During World War II, his father served in the Red Army, while Fedor worked as an electrician and studied at night school. In 1948, he graduated from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MPEI) with a degree in electrical engineering. He led the commissioning of multiple VVER reactors, including the world's first VVER-210, and oversaw the launch of the prototype VVER-1000. His leadership made the station a model for nuclear plants in Eastern Europe and beyond. In 1967, he received the USSR State Prize. He played a leading role in the development of Soviet nuclear power infrastructure, including the commissioning of plants in Kursk, Kola, and Ukraine. In early 1982, Fyodor Ovchinnikov told Tass that 27 nuclear power plants with over 15 million kW capacity were operational. He was also instrumental in founding Interatomenergo to promote nuclear cooperation among socialist countries. In addition to his professional duties, Ovchinnikov authored numerous publications and technical manuals on nuclear power engineering. His most well-known work is the co-authored book Operating Conditions for Pressurized Water Nuclear Power Reactors (1979) , a widely used reference in Soviet VVER-type nuclear power plants and engineering institutes.

Later life and legacy After stepping down due to health reasons, Ovchinnikov remained active in the nuclear sector, leading Interatomenergo until 1993. He died in Moscow in 1994 and was buried at Kuntsevo Cemetery.