Nikita Sergeïevitch Khrushchev, (April 17, 1894 - September 11, 1971), (in Cyrillique никита сергевич хрущв, pronounced [nʲɪˈkʲitə sʲɪˈrgʲejɪtʃʲ xruˈʃʲ:of) is a Soviet statesman of Ukrainian origin, who gradually asserted himself as the main manager of the USSR between Stalins death (March 5, 1953)