Mikhail Innokentyevich Semyonov

Mikhail Innokentyevich Semyonov (, 26 November 1938 – 18 October 2019) was a Soviet and Russian industrialist and politician.

Born into a mining and machinist family in Irkutsk Oblast during the period of Soviet rule, Semyonov studied at Irkutsk Mining and Metallurgical Institute, specialising in mining, and beginning a career in industry, at first as a mine engineer, and later at a tungsten-molybdenum plant in Buryatia, eventually rising to the position of head of the enterprise. He entered politics in the 1980s, sitting as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, before becoming deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of Buryatia. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union he was elected three times as a deputy of the People's Khural of the Republic of Buryatia, and spent two terms as the Khural's chairman. During this period he oversaw the establishment of the republic's post-Soviet laws and structures, and a number of important economic developments.

In 1999, Semyonov was elected Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Council of Legislative Bodies of State Power of the Agin-Buryat Autonomous Okrug, the Republic of Buryatia and the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug, Between 1996 and 2001 he sat on the Federation Council as representative of Buryatia. In retirement he served as an adviser to the Khural's chairman. Over his career he received a number of awards and honours, including the Order of Honour, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, and the Medal "Veteran of Labour". He held honorary citations from the State Duma and the Federation Council, and the honorary titles of "Honoured Engineer of the Buryat Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic" and "Honoured Citizen of the Republic of Buryatia".

Early life and career in industry Mikhail Semyonov was born on 26 November 1938 in the village of , in Nukutsky District, Irkutsk Oblast. Two of Mikhail's brothers became miners. Other industrial and economic developments included the construction of the Tugnuysky coal mine, the LEP-500 main power transmission line between Irkutsk and Gusinoozyorsk, 150 km of paved road between Mondy and Orlik, and a new telephone exchange in Ulan-Ude. He sat on several of the Council's committees during his tenure, firstly on the Committee on Budget, Financial, Currency and Credit Regulation, Money Issues, Tax Policy and Customs Regulation from January to February 1996, and from February 1996 as the Deputy Chairman of Committee on Social Policy. In retirement he served as an adviser to the Khural's chairman.

Semyonov died on 18 October 2019 at the age of 80 after a long illness. A memorial ceremony was held on 20 October at the building of the Buryat State Philharmonic. He was married to Antonina Anatolyevna, and had two sons: Andrei and Yuri, and a daughter, Marina.