July 3, 1957
OUSTING IN THE USSR: London, 3 – Moscow radio announced the astonishing news this evening of a split within the Russian leadership. Vyacheslav Molotov, Georgy Malenkov and Lazar Kaganovich have been denounced and removed from the leadership of the Russian Communist Party. Dimitri Sepilov was also removed from his position as secretary of the party’s Central Committee. The reasons given for the removal of the four lead to the conclusion that they were against the implementation of decisions made at the 20th Congress of the Russian Communist Party, in particular their opposition to a conciliatory policy toward Yugoslavia and the West. The report is as follows: «During its sessions of June 22-29, 1957, the Russian Communist Party’s Central Committee examined the question of the anti-party group, consisting of Malenkov, Kaganovich and Molotov… who appear to be against the party line… and have tried to oppose the Leninist policy…»
