The Kremlin, Moscow

January 17th, 1966 (10:00 hours)

Citizens of Moscow woke up to a dreadful sight today as Soviet tanks drove through Red Square unannounced alongside Red Army infantry blocking the streets and avenues surrounding the Kremlin. The eerie noise of jets flying overhead reportedly stopped the noise of alleged "gunfire" occurring from within the Kremlin. The status of the General Secretary and the Politburo are unknown as of yet…

The Minister of Defense Rodion Malinovsky, flanked by Generals of the Red Army Vasily Chuikov, Andrei Grechko, and Dmitri Ustinov alongside soldiers followed them into the halls of the Kremlin. The building was in such a commotion as everybody except the KGB was caught off guard by the event, even the Kremlin guards. The coup went surprisingly well, with the guards of the Kremlin refusing to fight their commanding officers and laying down their weapons. The men entered the Politburo meeting where Nikita Khrushchev, his cabinet, and the Central Committee of the Communist party were present.

Malinovsky: Comrade General Secretary Khrushchev, On behalf of the Soviet Union and the Red Army, we deem you unfit for duty and accuse you of voluntarism and anti-soviet behavior. You'll be able to resign from your post and retire, that is our order. We have the building surrounded, there is no one who will help you. Please do not resist.

Khrushchev: So this is it then, you will just… remove me, just like that?

Malinovsky: I'm afraid so, Comrade.

Khrushchev: I see… *sigh* I shall not resist.

Malinovsky: I shall make an announcement today to the rest of our most esteemed Central Committee and Politburo. Make no mistake, that while the Red Army respects the civilian authority of the Party as superior and recognizes its crucial role in maintaining this great union together, this does not earn party members, no matter which rank, to interfere in our affairs that would threaten the credibility and security of our most esteemed officers and personnel. Let me be clear, that reform in the Armed Forces is evident, yes but it should be an affair of the military alone, not the Party. Thus we will return the favor for this conspiracy. We will demand a cabinet reshuffle right now where we will submit to a vote the new government of the Soviet Union. We also request that Comrade Anastas Mikoyan and Comrade Leonid Brezhnev be demoted for their collaboration with Comrade Khrushchev’s little project to spy on us.

Brezhnev: What? That is outrageous, I have done nothing, I was never involved in this.

Malinovsky: Save it for the vote Comrade Brezhnev, This was decided a long time ago and we have proof of your wrongdoing. Now, begin deliberating for a new government.

After the Central Committee bickered and debated amongst each other as they were observed by Red Army officers, a decision was made to form a troika between First Secretary Nikolai Podgorny as General Secretary, Alexei Kosygin as Premier, and Mikhail Suslov as Central Committee Chairman. The new government will begin executing its functions on January 18th, 1966.

https://imgur.com/cbGx9uV