He succeeded Brezhnev in 1982
[DOC] [TLE] Brezhnev is Soviet president - Jun 16, 1977 - HISTORY.com [PAR] In 1977, he assumed the presidency of the USSR, thus becoming the most 
powerful ... Leonid Brezhnev died in 1982 and was succeeded by Yuri Andropov 
as... [DOC] [TLE] Yuri Andropov assumes power in the Soviet Union - Nov 12, 1982 ... [PAR] In 1982, with Brezhnev deathly ill and fading fast, Andropov left the KGB and 
began jockeying for power.