A biographical study of the famous Soviet politician, political scientist and historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences V.A. Nikonov is dedicated to the fate of the prominent Soviet political and statesman V.M. Molotov. In his work, the author relies on numerous archival materials, including Molotov’s personal archive, the works of domestic and foreign researchers, which allow us to take a fresh look not only at the most important stages in the biography of the book’s hero, but also at key moments in the history of pre-revolutionary Russia and the Soviet period.