Vladimir Medvedev

His father, Timofei Fyodorovich, was a carpenter and fought in World War II with an artillery unit,[4] while his mother, Evdokiya Fyodorovna, worked at a factory and raised the children.

[6] During the next five years Medvedev trained with the KGB, guarded a top-secret installation, and received a university degree in law by correspondence.

His physical drills included close-range combat; extreme driving, diving and swimming; skiing, athletics, and shooting from various angles in a wide range of environments; he was also trained in first aid.

[9] After the death of Brezhnev, only Medvedev kept a high-profile position among his closest bodyguards – the other three, Aleksandr Ryabenko, Vladimir Sobachenkov and Gennady Fedotov, were soon demoted and retired.

[10] Meanwhile, Medvedev was responsible for the security of top Soviet officials, including Heydar Aliyev and Mikhail Zimyanin, in their domestic and foreign trips.