---
title: "Soviet invasion of Afghanistan — Definition & Meaning"
description: "The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 aimed to support a Marxist regime, igniting a decade-long conflict significant for historians and political analysts."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/soviet-invasion-of-afghanistan"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was the December 1979 military intervention by the USSR to prop up a Marxist government, triggering a decade-long war that ended with Soviet withdrawal in 1989.
- What was the immediate trigger and stated justification for the 1979 Soviet invasion?
- How did the Geneva Accords end the conflict?
- Why is this topic significant in CSS Pakistan Affairs?
- How did the invasion contribute to the end of the Cold War?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was the December 1979 military intervention by the USSR to prop up a Marxist government, triggering a decade-long war that ended with Soviet withdrawal in 1989.

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## Timeline

1. 24 December 1979

   The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began on , when forces of the 40th Army crossed the Amu Darya and airlifted into Kabul, culminating on 27 December 1979 in…

2. 27 December 1979

   The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began on 24 December 1979, when forces of the 40th Army crossed the Amu Darya and airlifted into Kabul, culminating on in…

3. 14 April 1988

   Mikhail Gorbachev, calling the war a "bleeding wound," sought exit through the Geneva Accords of , signed by Afghanistan and Pakistan with the USSR and US as…

4. 15 February 1989

   The last Soviet troops, led by General Boris Gromov, withdrew on .

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Example

In December 1979, the Soviet 40th Army stormed Kabul's Tajbeg Palace, killing President Hafizullah Amin and installing Babrak Karmal, beginning a nine-year war that ended with General Boris Gromov's withdrawal across the Amu Darya in February 1989.

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## Go deeper than the definition

Lessons

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