'Under the Yellow Arab Helmet Gleamed Blue Russian Eyes': Operation Kavkaz and the War of Attrition, 1969-70

Abstract

New evidence emerging from the former USSR indicates that its massive intervention (codenamed Operation Kavkaz) on Egypt's side in the War of Attrition with Israel was undertaken as a Soviet strategic initiative in the Cold War context, rather than in response to Israeli action as previously supposed. It was a deliberate and largely successful effort to prepare Egypt's capability for its ultimate attack across the Suez Canal in 1973. As official Soviet policy documents are still unavailable, this account is based largely on the operational facts, as reported by the actual participants.