Born: 19 December 1906 · Died: 10 November 1982 · Age: 75
Soviet leader for 18 years, from 1964 to 1982, whose rule saw the invasion of Czechoslovakia and an era of stagnation
Did you know?He was a passionate collector of luxury cars and received many high-end vehicles as gifts from foreign heads of state.
Quick facts
Date of birth19 December 1906
Date of death10 November 1982
Age at death75
Cause of deathMyocardial infarction
NationalitySoviet
BirthplaceKamyanske, Ukraine
Occupationpolitician, engineer, military personnel
Editor's Take:
Leonid Brezhnev led the Soviet Union for 18 years, longer than anyone except Stalin. He was a metallurgical engineer who rose through the Communist Party in Ukraine. He took power after Nikita Khrushchev was ousted in 1964. His rule brought stability for party officials but economic stagnation for the country. He built up the Soviet military to match the United States and signed arms control deals during détente. He sent troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968 and Afghanistan in 1979. He loved fast cars and awarded himself many medals.
Key Milestones
1964: Party leader after Khrushchev
1968: Prague Spring – crushed
1972: SALT I – arms treaty
1977: Head of state – also takes presidency
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (19 December 1906 – 10 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until his death in 1982.
Leonid Brezhnev's birthday is December 19. He was born on December 19, 1906 in Kamyanske, Ukraine.
How old was Leonid Brezhnev when he died?
Leonid Brezhnev died on November 10, 1982, aged 75.
Who shares a birthday with Leonid Brezhnev?
Famous people who share Leonid Brezhnev's December 19 birthday include Édith Piaf, Albert Abraham Michelson, Karim Benzema, Pratibha Patil and Jake Gyllenhaal.
