The Soviet-Israeli War, 1967–1973. The USSR’s Military Intervention in the Egyptian-Israeli Conflict

PART 4: “WE PREPARED THE WAR”

must have made to render this war possible required a major decision on the part of the

Soviet leadership many months ago.^8

With the proviso that both parties to détente often preferred their interests over its
declared principles, newly emerged evidence has borne out both Alsop and Draper.
The proud claims of Soviet veterans that “we prepared” the Yom Kippur War refer as
much to the post-“expulsion” phase as to the previous stages.^9 They add convincing
evidence that besides weapons supply and strategic advice, Soviet personnel and
weapons took an active, if limited and undisclosed, part in the actual fighting.