Vasily Degtyaryov

Vasily Degtyaryov (21 December 1879 - 16 January 1949) was a Russian engineer and politician born in Tula, Russia. He held citizenship in the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. Degtyaryov was educated at a parochial school and is best known for his work in firearm design.

Throughout his career, Degtyaryov created multiple firearms including the Degtyaryov machine gun, PPD-40, and PTRD. Aside from being an engineer, he also served as a politician. Degtyaryov's contributions in the field earned him numerous awards such as the Hero of Socialist Labor and the Stalin Prize. He eventually passed away in Moscow.