Formed 15 March 1946 | Dissolved 26 December 1991 | |
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Preceding agencies People's Commissariat for Posts and Telegraphs of the RSFSR (since 8 November 1917)
People's Commissariat for Posts and Telegraphs of the USSR (since 12 November 1923)
People's Commissariat for Communications of the USSR (since 17 January 1932) Superseding agency Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation Jurisdiction Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Headquarters 7 Gorky Street, Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union |
The Ministry of Communications of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Russian: Министерство связи СССР) was the central state administration body on communications in the Soviet Union from 1946 to 1991. It had authority over the postal, telegraph and telephone communications as well as public radio, technical means of radio and television broadcasting, and the distribution of periodicals in the country.
Contents
History
The Ministry of Communications of the USSR was established on 15 March 1946, replacing the People's Commissariat for Communications of the USSR (formerly People's Commissariat for Posts and Telegraphs of the USSR). It was originally set up as an all-Union ministry, and in December 1954 transformed into a Union-Republican one.
The Ministry of Communications of the USSR was responsible for the maintenance and further development of all types of communications in general use, and technical means of radio and television broadcasting. It was also in charge of the periodicals distribution as well as the provision of technological progress in the industry, the quality of communication services, and the most complete and continuous needs of the country media and communication services. Additionally, the Ministry was responsible for issuing postage stamps and postal stationery (envelopes, postcards, etc.), which were used in the postal system of the Soviet Union.
The Ministry was terminated on 26 December 1991 due to the abolition of the Soviet Union. All Ministry assets, premises and other facilities in the territory of the Russian Federation were delegated to the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation.
Departments
The Ministry included two major departments:
Ministers
Over the years, the Ministry was headed by Ministers of Communications of the USSR as follows:
Publications
Under the auspices of the USSR Ministry of Communications and Soyuzpechat, the following periodicals and publications were issued: