Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, who was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions. Smyslov twice tied for first place at the USSR Chess Championships, and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.
Vasily Vasilievich Struve was a Soviet orientalist from the Struve family, the founder of the Soviet scientific school of researchers on Ancient Near East history.
Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev was a prominent Russian Imperial statesman, historian, philosopher, and ethnographer. He is known as the author of a book on Russian history titled The History of Russia, posthumously published in 1767. Throughout this work, he advocates the idea that autocracy is the perfect form of government for Russia. He also founded three cities in the Russian Empire: Stavropol-on-Volga, Yekaterinburg, and Perm.
Vasily Vyacheslavovich Utkin is a Russian sports reporter, author, former host of the television show The Football Club, TV and radio presenter, entertainer, actor and a former co-owner of the Russian sport website Sports.ru.
Vasily Grigorievich Vasilievsky was a Russian historian who founded the St. Petersburg school of medieval studies and was a major force in Byzantine studies during the second half of the 19th century.
Vasily Alekseyevich Vatagin was a wildlife artist who worked on a variety of media producing paintings, sculpture, reliefs and illustrations. His works have been used in books and are installed in many institution in Russia. He was a professor at the Moscow Higher School of Arts and Industry.
