Academician S. N. Vernov and cosmic ray variations research in the former USSR

During my long scientific career of about 60 years (from 1951), I was happy to meet and cooperate with Academician S. N. Vernov. During the first step (1950–1952), S. N. Vernov together with N. V. Pushkov organized the first Soviet network of cosmic ray (CR) stations equipped by large automatically operating ionization chambers of A. Compton type shielded by 10 cm of Pb. This was the beginning of the CR variations research in the former USSR. In the present paper I consider step by step the development of experimental and theoretical basis of CR variations research in the former USSR and the great role of S. N. Vernov in this process.