Soviets Make Major Changes in Leadership

Politburo member Viktor Grishin, who in December was removed as Moscow city party leader, was retired from the ruling body today in one of three major personnel changes announced at a Central Committee meeting.

Boris N. Yeltsin, 55, Grishin’s successor as Moscow party chief, was named an alternate member of the Politburo.

Konstantin V. Rusakov, 76, was retired as Central Committee secretary in charge of liaison with Communist parties in the Socialist bloc.

The changes were announced by the official press agency Tass in a brief report on a plenary meeting of the 300-plus Central Committee.

24 Years on Politburo

Grishin, 71, had been on the Politburo for 24 years and was one of the last holdovers from the era of Leonid I. Brezhnev, the party leader who died in 1982. Grishin had been Moscow city party leader since 1967, and his removal two months ago came after months of rumors that he would be replaced because of allegations of poor party administration of the capital city.

Grishin’s removal brings the number of full Politburo members to 11. Yeltsin’s addition increases the alternate, or non-voting, membership to seven.

Since Mikhail S. Gorbachev became party leader last March, three full Politburo members have been removed and four new appointments announced.

No replacement was announced for Rusakov, a confidant and former personal aide to Brezhnev. Tass said he retired for “health reasons” at the plenum, which precedes the opening of the 27th Communist Party Congress on Feb. 25.

Influenced China Policy

In his party post, Rusakov was considered a prime influence over Soviet policy toward China during a period of increasing tensions between the two communist giants.

Gorbachev has said he wants to improve relations with the Chinese as part of his administration’s apparent emphasis on Asian policy.