- January 2 — Anatoly Samoilenko, Ukrainian mathematician (d. 2020)
- January 8 — Yevgeny Nesterenko, Russian operatic bass (d. 2021)
- January 18 — Stepan Topal, Moldovan politician (d. 2018)
- January 23 — Anatoly Marchenko, dissident, author and human rights campaigner (d. 1986)
- January 25 — Vladimir Vysotsky, Russian singer-songwriter, poet and actor (d. 1980)
- January 30 — Islam Karimov, 1st President of Uzbekistan (d. 2016)
- February 19 — Galina Dzhugashvili, Russian translator of French and granddaughter of Joseph Stalin (d. 2007)
- February 24 — Emma Gapchenko, archer[1]
- March 2 — Vyacheslav Zaitsev, Russian fashion designer (d. 2023)
- March 17 — Rudolf Nureyev, Russian-born dancer, choreographer (d. 1993)
- March 20 — Sergei Novikov, Russian mathematician (d. 2024)
- April 5 — Natalya Kustinskaya, actress (d. 2012)
- April 9 — Victor Chernomyrdin, 29th Prime Minister of Russia (d. 2010)
- April 19 — Marita Katusheva, competitive volleyball player and Olympic silver medalist (d. 1992)
- April 20 — Igor Sergeyev, 4th Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation (d. 2006)
- May 12 — Ayaz Mutallibov, 1st President of Azerbaijan (d. 2022)
- June 9 — Tengiz Kitovani, Georgian politician military commander (d. 2023)
- June 24
- July 9 — Liya Akhedzhakova, Russian actress
- July 10 — Vera Shebeko, Russian anchorwoman
- July 14 — Lillian Malkina, Russian actress
- July 18 — Valery Kerdemelidi, Russian artistic gymnast
- July 21 — Vladimir Radionov, Russian football player, coach and official
- July 22 — Mark Rakita, Russian sabreur and coach
- August 9
- August 19 — Valentin Mankin, Ukrainian Soviet sailor, Olympic triple champion and silver medalist (d. 2014)
- September 25 — Myechyslaw Hryb, 2nd Chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus
- October 10 — Oleg Gordievsky, Russian double agent
- October 12 — Nina Andreyeva, Soviet and Russian chemist, teacher, author, political activist and social critic (d. 2020)
- October 2 — Vladimir Muravyov, Soviet and Russian military officer (d. 2020)
- October 24 — Venedikt Yerofeyev, writer and dissident (d. 1990)
- November 11 — Ants Antson, Estonian speed skater (d. 2015)
- November 24 — Natalya Krachkovskaya, Soviet and Russian actress (d. 2016)
- December 19 — Nikolay Dutov, long-distance runner (d. 1992)
- January 22 – Sergei Buturlin, Soviet ornithologist (b. 1872)
- February 8
- March 15 – Nikolai Bukharin, Alexei Rykov, Nikolay Krestinsky, Genrikh Yagoda, Arkady Rosengolts, Vladimir Ivanov, Mikhail Alexandrovich Chernov, Hryhoriy Hrynko, Fayzulla Khodzhayev and Vasily Sharangovich[citation needed]
- June 20 – Nikolai Janson, Russian politician (shot)
- July 28 – Yakov Alksnis
- July 29 – Pavel Dybenko
- August 16 – Sergey Aydarov, actor (b. 1867)
- August 22 – Eduard Lepin, Latvian-born Soviet general (b. 1889)
- November 9 – Vasily Blyukher
- December 15 – Valery Chkalov, test pilot (b. 1904)[3]
- December 27 – Osip Mandelstam, poet (b. 1891)[4]