Stanislav Petrov Soviet military officer Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stanislav-Petrov Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stanislav-Petrov Also known as: Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov Written by Stella Kleinman Stella Kleinman is an editorial intern at Encyclopædia Britannica for the summer of 2024. She plans to graduate from Brown University in 2025 with bachelor’s degrees in English and international affairs. Stella Kleinman Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Jul 31, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents In full: Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov (Show more) Serpukhov-15 is a small military townlet about 80 miles (130 km) south of Moscow. It’s sparse, dotted with evergreens, stoically rectangular warehouses, and several giant gray domes. A skeleton of the capital city, bleached through and through. On the night of September 26, 1983, it’s quiet. The Russian winter has not yet sunk its teeth into the soil, but wisps of wind snake around the white walls of the domes. The moon is almost full in the sky, watching the base with pale anticipation. Three weeks earlier the Soviet Union had shot down South Korean Air Lines flight 007 with ...(100 of 1827 words)

　　Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!