What went wrong?

Did it really have to spend so much on the military though?

It was all about looking strong on the international stage which they could use as a boast on the domestic side of things, same as Russia is doing today.

Webm related was unjustifiable as afghan state socialism was unsustainable.

Pizza Hut literally bought him.

lenin

ю гайс ар хилариузли стъюпид.

Yes, or else they would have been destroyed by the west. Of course that happened anyway with their foolish market reforms, but at the time it was a necessity. The whole point of the US bullshitting about their "nuclear defense system" was to nullify the concept of MAD, which would mean the US could feasibly attack the USSR with nukes.

he should have focusated on improving the quality of life and industries instead of muh arms race wich it pretty much useless when they got MAD

Except the Strategic Defense Initiative, however implausible, indicated the US' intention to overcome MAD, so the USSR had to increase spending as a response.

He improved Russia

if only they had god rid of the state apparatus to make this possible