I notice that Niagarin, the name of one of the two
Soviet experts in PF, rhymes not only with Gagarin, but also with Bulgarin (aka
"Figlyarin", "Flyugarin"), the journalist, novelist and critic
(1789-1859), a target of countless epigrams by Pushkin, Baratynsky and
Vyazemsky. Bulgarin, in his turn, brings to mind Bulganin, in 1955-58
the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, who
was preceded by Malenkov and succeeded by Khrushchyov. Both Malenkov and
"Hrushchov" are mentioned by Kinbote in his Commentary.
Alexey Sklyarenko