An entire era in the history of the Soviet Union is associated with the name of Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov. Perhaps, not so much has been written about any General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee in recent years as about Yu. V. Andropov. Written from different positions, sometimes contradictory, and, of course, not always objective. According to the oldest sociological service in Russia, Levada Center, Yu.V. Andropov was recognized by his contemporaries as the best leader of our country in the twentieth century. The author tries to find out the sources and origins of this objective socio-psychological “Andropov phenomenon”. Was Andropov really the “last hope of the regime”? How relevant are the words of the legendary Spartan ruler Lycurgus today: “The state exists, protected by the personal participation of everyone!”? Based on archival documents, this book tells about the activities of Yu.V. Andropov in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Committee of the CPSU, in the posts of Chairman of the KGB of the USSR, as well as Secretary and General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. The author expresses the hope that this book will allow readers to more deeply discover some pages of the recent history of our Motherland.