Andrei Zhdanov
In 1948 Andrei Zhdanov, who had been a patron of both Kruglov and Abakumov, died and Kruglov's position was temporarily in danger. Beria and Malenkov engineered the so-called Leningrad Affair which resulted in the persecution of many party officials connected to Zhdanov. However, as Stalin still needed a counterweight to Beria, both Kruglov and Abakumov retained their posts, although Beria's position was strengthened.