Petya Yakolev (October 12, 1933 - February 15, 1988) was a former Soviet official and successor to Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1987 Soviet missile campaign and overthrow. Originally a personal servant to Leonid Brehznev from 1970 to 1982 (Brehznev's death) Yakolev was deeply maddened by Gorbachev's reforming policies, believing Gorbachev to be 'tearing apart' the Soviet Union.