Vasili Arkhipov

Soviet naval officer who single-handedly prevented nuclear war during Cuban Missile Crisis

Vasili Arkhipov (1926–1998) played a crucial role in averting thermonuclear war during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. As flotilla commander aboard submarine B-59, he refused to authorize a nuclear torpedo launch despite extreme pressure.

When US destroyers depth-charged the submerged Soviet sub (mistaking it for a surface vessel), exhausted crew members interpreted this as war beginning. Two senior officers voted to fire the nuclear torpedo, but Arkhipov's sole dissent prevented catastrophic escalation.

Declassified documents reveal this incident as one of the closest calls in nuclear history. Arkhipov's composure under 45°C temperatures and CO₂ poisoning demonstrated extraordinary judgment.

His story remained classified until 2002. Today, the Atomic Heritage Foundation recognizes his critical role in global survival.