the nkvd people's commissariat for internal affairs (russian : нквд ; народный комиссариат внутренних дел) as a government department in the soviet union operated from 1934-1946 . it was the law enforcement agency which did the will of the all union communist party. the nkvd underwent many organizational changes; between 1938 and 1939 alone, the nkvd's structure changed three times. it was lead by genrikh yagoda (1891-1938) (chief from 1934-1938) nikolai yezhov (1895-1938) (chief from 1936-1938) and lavrentiy beria (1899-1953) (chief from 1938-1945). both yagoda and yezhov were executed in 1938 and 1940. beria was removed from power and executed in 1953.