Jim Lanning (born October 10, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler, best known by the ring name Soldat Ustinov, who played a fictional Russian character during his career.

Before his professional wrestling career, Jim Lanning was a left offensive tackle known for pass blocking - he signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys,[1] and also spent time in the USFL for the San Antonio Gunslingers.

[citation needed] Arriving in the AWA in 1987, he would begin teaming with Boris Zukhov under manager Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie and together would defeat the Midnight Rockers for the AWA World tag team title in Lake Tahoe, Nevada on May 25, 1987.

Peterson on August 10,[3] Zukhov jumped to the World Wrestling Federation in October as part of The Bolsheviks with Nikolai Volkoff.

He and Teijho Khan would later feud with Baron von Raschke and The Top Guns (Ricky Rice & Derrick Dukes) before leaving the promotion by the end of the year.