Vladimir Dekanozov

Vladimir Georgijewitsch Dekanozov ( Владимир Георгиевич Деканозов, also: Dekanossow, born Dekanosischwili; born June 1898 in Baku, † December 23, 1953 in Moscow ) was a Soviet politician and diplomat. He also served as Vice- Commissar for Foreign Affairs, head of counterintelligence in the Soviet intelligence service and ambassador to Germany at the time of the German attack on the Soviet Union.

In the twenties and thirties Dekanozov worked in the GPU Transcaucasia.

In 1940 he oversaw the integration of Lithuania into the SU. In November 1940 he accompanied Foreign Commissar Molotov on his state visit to Germany. After this had disclosed an impending deterioration of the German - Soviet relations, he was appointed on 20 November 1940 new ambassador to Germany. He was accompanied by the high-ranking NKVD and compatriot AS Kobulow, who served as Counsellor. In the early hours of June 22, 1941, he took the form of an ultimatum dressed in German declaration of war, which followed a little later, the beginning of German offensive operations. It is unclear whether and to what extent it meets the blame for the surprise attack of the Soviet armed forces.

Dekanozov was a close confidant of many years of NKVD chief Beria Lawrenti and was accused by his overthrow in 1953 together with him and executed.