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'''Lavrenty Beria''' (1899-1953) was the head of the Soviet security apparatus under [[Stalin]] and a rapist.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html Stalin's army of rapists: The  brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore], by Andrew Roberts, at www.dailymail.co.uk</ref> Appointed deputy head of the [[NKVD]] (secret police) in 1938, he helped carry out the Stalinist purges. Promoted head of the NKVD in November 1938, he then purged that organization. One of the victims was its former chief, Yezhov, who was executed in 1940. In the 1940s Beria oversaw the Soviet atomic weaponry program, and built up an espionage network in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]]. In 1946 he resigned as head of the NKVD but maintained overall control of security as deputy Prime Minister.  

'''Lavrenty Beria''' (1899-1953) was the head of the Soviet security apparatus under [[Stalin]] and a rapist.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080493/Stalins-army-rapists-The-brutal-war-crime-Russia-Germany-tried-ignore.html Stalin's army of rapists: The  brutal war crime that Russia and Germany tried to ignore], by Andrew Roberts, at www.dailymail.co.uk</ref> Appointed deputy head of the [[NKVD]] (secret police) in 1938, he helped carry out the Stalinist purges. Promoted head of the NKVD in November 1938, he then purged that organization. One of the victims was its former chief, Yezhov, who was executed in 1940. In the 1940s Beria oversaw the Soviet atomic weaponry program, and built up an espionage network in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]]. In 1946 he resigned as head of the NKVD but maintained overall control of security as deputy Prime Minister.  

Following Stalin's death on 5 March 1953, in which Beria may have been implicated, Beria was appointed First deputy Prime Minister, and ranked second in the Soviet hierarchy under his ally [[Georgy Malenkov]]. However, [[Nikita Khrushchev]] and [[Nikolai Bulganain]] won Malenkov over to their proposals to depose Beria following the 1953 uprising in [[East Germany]]. Beria was arrested in June 1953, and was executed by firing squad on 23 December 1953, and was later cremated and promptly buried in a forest near Moscow.  

Following Stalin's death on 5 March 1953, in which Beria may have been implicated in causing,<ref>http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2226531-what-stalins-last-days-reveal-about-his-character/</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/05/world/new-study-supports-idea-stalin-was-poisoned.html?module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=World&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article</ref> Beria was appointed First deputy Prime Minister, and ranked second in the Soviet hierarchy under his ally [[Georgy Malenkov]]. However, [[Nikita Khrushchev]] and [[Nikolai Bulganain]] won Malenkov over to their proposals to depose Beria following the 1953 uprising in [[East Germany]]. Beria was arrested in June 1953, and was executed by firing squad on 23 December 1953, and was later cremated and promptly buried in a forest near Moscow.  

Beria was an [[Atheism|atheist]]. In addition, one of his more notorious actions as a rapist was, after arresting a woman and releasing her after raping her, gives her a bunch of flowers, the implied threat being that she either treat the affair as consensual (accept the flowers), or otherwise be arrested and "disappeared."

Beria was an [[Atheism|atheist]]. In addition, one of his more notorious actions as a rapist was, after arresting a woman and releasing her after raping her, gives her a bunch of flowers, the implied threat being that she either treat the affair as consensual (accept the flowers), or otherwise be arrested and "disappeared."