Andrew Ryan

Presidental portrait (1983)

**Andrew Ryan** *(born Andrei Ruhanov - Андрей Руханов [Moscow, April 25, 1950 - Minerva, November 11, 1989)* was Minerva's long-term first secretary and later its president.

He spent his childhood and youth under the full influence of the Soviet doctrine, his father was an important character in the political and party life of his hometown - Novgorod. At the dawn of the 70s, thanks to his father's protection, he got a taste of political life, quickly climbed the ranks, gained a prominent role in the palette of young politicians, and promoted the idea of socialism with extraordinary enthusiasm. After convincing the hard-line members of the Communist Party one by one of his reliability and determination, he was sent to Minerva in 1975 to establish the local party organization and at the same time supervise the construction process. In the last phase of construction, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union appointed him the first secretary of the CPSU - Minerva branch, thereby becoming the de-facto leader of Minerva. He 'westernized' his name shortly afterwards.

At the outbreak of the Soviet-Afghan War, the Soviet leadership - citing economic and priority facts - rejected the Minerva economic zone plan, the responsibility and management of the city-state was fully transferred by the Soviet party leadership to Andrew Ryan and his political cabinet, thus Andrew Ryan - from 1982 - practically had full power over Minerva.

An important ally of Andrew Ryan was Ariadna Slomozeyev, Minerva's transport minister and first vice president. He was perhaps the only one of the Politburo who was able to decisively influence his decisions. Ariadna was a staunch supporter and student of Andrew Ryan, referred to in the media as 'Minerva's outstanding student', while she referred to Ryan as 'The Great Leader of Socialist Minerva'. Over the years - from 1982 - an unprecedented personality cult began to take shape around Andrew Ryan, inspired by the example of Kim Il Sung's North Korea, loyalty to the leader was increasingly authoritative - at the expense of expertise.

Ariadna realized in 1989 that she practically created a 'monster', Andrew Ryan became more and more confident over the years, his word was sacred in all areas - which sometimes conflicted with common sense. In a private meeting with Ryan, Ariadna confronted him about his faults, arrogance, and destructive political doctrine, to which Ryan's response was that Arianda betrayed Minerva. Ariadna further asked him to atleast consider what she was saying, but Ryan responded with denial. At the end of the meeting, he chased Ariadna and her delegation out of the Council Palace with his bodyguards. 20 minutes later, Ryan announced Ariadna's dismissal from her position on the radio and ordered she and her family to be detained. However, the Minerva Self-Defense Forces (MSDF) refused to comply with the order, the army sided with Ariadna and invaded the Council Palace on November 11, 1989. Fierce fights broke out between the MSDF and Ryan's guards, in the firefight, a bullet hit him. Andrew Ryan, soon died of his injuries. The fighting finally ended hours later and Minerva's leadership was taken over by a Temporary Governing Council.

His body was transported to Moscow by train 18 hours after his death, but the train never reached its destination, and the further fate of his remains is unknown.

1. ↑ The game's developer, KJI, named the character Andrew Ryan in honor of the Bioshock series.