Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was born on the 19th of December 1906 in Kamenskoye, Ukraine. His family lived within the Yekaterinoslav Governorate of the Russian Empire before the October Revolution created the Soviet Union.
Leonid Brezhnev took part in the removal of Nikita Khrushchev as leader of the Soviet Union in October 1964. He remained in power until his death on the 10th of November 1982.
Economic growth began to slow down after 1973 due to the prioritization of heavy industry and military spending over consumer goods. Annual GNP growth fell to between 1% and 2% per year while the Soviet Union outproduced the United States in heavy industry but lacked innovation needed to meet public demand.
Brezhnev ordered the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968 following the Prague Spring. The Politburo also took the decision to invade Afghanistan unanimously in December 1979.
The last years of Brezhnev's rule were marked by a growing personality cult centered on his love of medals. He received over 100 awards during his lifetime including three additional Hero of the Soviet Union awards and the rare Order of Victory in 1978.
Leonid Brezhnev died on the 10th of November 1982 after suffering a heart attack three days after his final public appearance. He was succeeded as General Secretary by Yuri Andropov.