Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (Russian: Леони́д Ильи́ч Бре́жнев (help·info), Leonid Il'ič Brežnev) December 19, 1906 O.S. December 19, 1906] – November 10, 1982) was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (and thus de facto ruler of the USSR) from 1964 to 1982, serving in that position longer than anyone other than Joseph Stalin. He was twice Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (head of state), from 1960 to 1964 and from 1977 to 1982.