Leonid Brezhnev

Leonid Brezhnev was a prominent political figure in the Soviet Union who played a significant role in Middle Eastern affairs during the 1970s, particularly in relation to Israel and the Arab states.

1972 Meeting with Golda Meir

In 1972, Brezhnev met with Golda Meir, then Prime Minister of Israel, in Finland. During this meeting, Meir rejected his proposal for a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East.¹

Intelligence Operations and War Implications

This meeting, along with the Soviets bugging Meir's office (discovered by Reuben Yirador of Unit 8200), informed Anwar Sadat of Israel's attitude and may have prompted the 1973 war.¹

1973 Yom Kippur War Threats

During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as the continued encirclement of the Egyptian Third Army by Israeli forces escalated, Soviet party leader Leonid Brezhnev increased the alert status of his airborne divisions and warned the White House that unless Israel stopped violating the cease-fire, "we should be faced with the necessity urgently to consider the question of taking appropriate steps unilaterally." The implication was that Brezhnev would send troops as a blocking force behind the front lines in Egypt to prevent the Israelis from advancing on Cairo.²