1966 in the Soviet Union

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1966 in the Soviet Union was a year under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev (General Secretary) and Alexei Kosygin (Prime Minister). The government continued economic reforms begun in 1965 to improve efficiency, giving more autonomy to factories while keeping central planning. In space, the USSR achieved a milestone with Luna 9, the first spacecraft to land softly on the Moon and send back pictures. The 23rd Congress of the Communist Party reinforced the leadership’s goals, and political and cultural life remained tightly controlled as part of the Cold War. This year followed 1965 and preceded 1967, continuing Brezhnev’s era of rule.