Nikita Khrushchev vs Leonid Brezhnev

[Beet]

Khruschev, but Zyzz does have somewhat of a point. Khruschev was a bit of a buffoon. Under Brezhnev, the USSR reached military parity with the US. Both of them suffered diplomatic defeats. Khruschev lost China, but since it was for denouncing Stalin, he can be forgiven for it. Brezhnev lost Egypt, and by extension the entire Middle East, and was forced to invade Afghanistan.

[Beet]

Brezhnev was responsible for a total stagnation that led to the Soviet Union collapse. He was very lucky to die before it happened, so poor Gorbachev took the blame for dissolution no one could prevent anymore. Ironic, given how much praise is Brezhnev getting in Russia, especially from unreconstructed types.

The single decision most responsible for the collapse of the USSR was the repeal of the Brezhnev doctrine.