Leonid Smirnov

Leonid Vasilyevich Smirnov (; 16 April 1916 – 21 December 2001) was a Soviet statesman. He served as a director of the missile factory at Dnipropetrovsk in the late 1950s, developing strategic missiles for the USSR's defense.

Early life Smirnov was born in Kuznetsk to a worker's family. He began his working life as an electrician in 1930 in Rostov-on-Don. he was director of the Dnipropetrovsk Machine-Building Factory (Factory-586) - now called Pivdenmash. This enterprise started work on mass production of strategic military missiles in 1951, Once Smirnov was appointed in 1952, the factory began an active and hard work on the creation of 'vertical takeoff vehicles'.

Smirnov retired in November 1985.

Party congresses of the CPSU He was a delegate to the following: 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956. 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1961. 23rd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1966. 24th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1971. 25th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1976. 26th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1981.

He was a deputy to the 6th-9th convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.

Awards Smirnov was made twice a Hero of Socialist Labour, and awarded the Lenin Prize in 1960, six Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Order of the Red Star, and various medals.