Kosygin's 1974 Kolyma Visit Revealed Soviet Industrial Struggles and Bold Promises
In March 1974, Alexei Kosygin, Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers and a key Politburo member, made an official visit to the Kolyma region. The trip, lasting from the 11th to the 14th, included meetings with local leaders and inspections of major industrial sites across the area.
Kosygin arrived with a delegation of senior Soviet officials, among them Pyotr Lomako, Alexei Shcheglov, Pyotr Neporozhny, Nikolai Goldin, and Nikolai Pertsev. His schedule covered visits to the Magadan Repair and Mechanical Plant, the Nagaevo seaport, and the Shiroky goldfield. He also toured the Kolyma Hydroelectric Power Station, the Karamken Mining and Processing Plant, and the Palatka Power Station.
During the trip, regional and industry leaders requested 100 heavy imported bulldozers for the Special Far Eastern Construction Directorate (OSVZ). However, by the end of 1974, none of these excavators had been delivered. In response to the shortage, Kosygin suggested boosting the region's gold extraction by two tons that same year. The extra funds would then be used to purchase the needed machinery. Beyond inspections, Kosygin attended a regional Party and economic leadership meeting in Magadan. There, he addressed the public, discussing plans for industrial development and resource extraction.
The visit highlighted ongoing challenges in securing heavy machinery for Kolyma's construction projects. Despite the proposed increase in gold production, the promised bulldozers did not arrive by the year's end. Kosygin's tour underscored the region's economic priorities and the government's efforts to address them.
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