The leader of the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which took place in October 1962, was Nikita Khrushchev. He served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party and the Premier of the Soviet Union. The crisis was precipitated by the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union. Khrushchev's decisions during this period were critical in determining both the Soviet response and the resolution of the crisis. His eventual agreement to withdraw the missiles in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba marked a key moment in Cold War history, highlighting the danger of nuclear escalation.