'''Vasilij Michailovič Blochin''' (7. Ledna, 1895 – 3. Února, 1955) byl [[Sovětský svaz|sovětský]] [[brigádní generál]] který sloužil jako vrchní [[popravčí]] ve [[stalinismus|stalinistické]] [[NKVD]] pod velením [[Genrich Jagoda|Genricha Jagody]], [[Nikolaj Ježov|Nikolaje Ježova]] and [[Lavrentij Berija|Lavrentije Beriji]] (afterJagoda theira respectiveJežov falls from powerbyli, Yagodapoté andco Yezhovupadli werev executednemilost, byBlochinem Blokhin himselfpopraveni). Hand-pickedBlochin forbyl thena positionsvé bymísto vybrán samotným [[JosephJosiph Stalin|Stalinem]], in 1926, Blokhin led a company of executioners that performed and supervised [[Mass killings under Communist regimes#Soviet Union|numerous mass executions]] during Stalin's reign, mostly during the [[Great Purge]] and [[Eastern Front (World War II)|World War II]].<ref name=Parrish-324/> He is recorded as having executed tens of thousands of prisoners by his own hand, including his killing of about 7,000 Polish prisoners of war during the [[Katyn massacre]] in spring 1940,<ref name=Parrish-324>Parrish 1996, p. 324.</ref><ref name=Montefiore>Montefiore 2005, pp. 197–8, 332–4.</ref> making him the most prolific official executioner in recorded world history.<ref name=Parrish-324/><ref name=Guinness>Glenday, pp. 284–5.</ref> Forced into a retirement following the death of Stalin, Blokhin died in 1955, officially by suicide.
