Ruben, Iurii Ianovich

(also J. J. Rubenis). Born Apr. 15, 1925, in Mogilev. Soviet state and party figure. Member of the CPSU since 1953.

Son of a serviceman, Ruben graduated from the department of mechanics of the Latvian University in 1951 and from the Higher Party School of the Central Committee of the CPSU in 1960. He saw service in the Great Patriotic War (1941–45). In 1951 and 1952 he was a technologist at the Compressor Plant in Riga. From 1952 to 1955 he engaged in administrative work in the Komsomol in Latvia and in party work in Riga from 1955. Ruben served as first secretary of the Liepāja city committee between 1960 and 1963 and of the Riga city committee of the Latvian CP between 1963 and 1966. From 1966 to 1970 he was secretary of the Central Committee of the Latvian CP. In May 1970 he became chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR, and in 1971, a candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU. He is a member of the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Latvian CP and was a deputy to the eighth and ninth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Ruben has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and various medals.