The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began with a strategic move to bolster the faltering communist regime in Kabul, which was facing immense pressure from various insurgent groups. On December 23, Soviet troops poured into the city, utilizing a combination of airborne and ground forces, which allowed them to seize critical points across Kabul swiftly. The immediate goal was to establish control over Afghanistan and to ensure that the government of Hafizullah Amin remained in power despite his unpopular reign and growing opposition. The intervention was justified under the pretext of the Brezhnev Doctrine, which advocated for the right of Soviet intervention to protect socialist governments.

The invasion, however, was met with fierce resistance from the Mujahideen, a coalition of various Afghan groups opposed to the communist government. Over the following years, Afghanistan would become a battleground for Soviet troops and Islamist fighters, significantly escalating the conflict. The war would draw in international actors, including the United States, which began to support the Mujahideen through funding and weaponry, marking a key moment in Cold War dynamics.

As the conflict dragged on into the 1980s, the Soviet forces faced increasing casualties and guerilla warfare tactics that rendered traditional military strategy ineffective. The Soviet quest to establish a foothold in Afghanistan ultimately led to a prolonged and costly military engagement that contributed to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union by the late 1980s, affecting geopolitical stability and shifting power in the region.