What do you do to stop the counterrevolutions?
I would probably tell Poland to either reenact martial law or face mobilization of Soviet troops that are already stationed in Poland to hunt down the so called “solidarity” terrorists ourselves. Meanwhile, I would tell Hungary to close the borders again under a similar threat. Obviously I would try to prevent another 1956 but those reactionaries involved in that decision must be removed from power.
Meanwhile, at home in the Soviet Union, I would put a stop to Glasnost but probably continue Perestroika by turning it towards the Chinese model.
Bring the colonial question back in full force in all fields, namely studies into neocolonialism and the settler colonialist nature of the US, the inseparability of colonialism and capitalism, and most importantly bringing unrepresented groups like Kazakhs into the high soviets which were overwhelming Russian at the time. No toleration approach for Russian chauvinism. Going for a “reeducation by the peasants” approach for many of the detached and comfortable leadership. Teach less to the liberation movements springing up, and learn more from them.
Do opposite glasnost, strengthen the party’s rule and policing of the second economy + incentives to not participate in it (bolstering the first economy). Bringing back Stalin iconography and what he represents while still allowing for the critical re-evaluation of his past, but emphasizing his great fight against fascism and how it’s still left to be finished. Setting up functional systemic processes for weeding out corruption and heavy emphasis on revolutionary education for the masses, reexamining all curriculum. Don’t back out of Afghanistan. Beg on my hands and knees for forgiveness by the CPC and ways to cooperate. Nuke Israel.