The ’80s weren’t a great time for those living in the U.S.S.R., although those living in Moscow had it better than most. As the rest of the country dealt with bread and meat rations, those living in the capital had access to fruit (sometimes), soda (a treat) and could even see a movie (if you had the money). Here’s a look at the “good life” offered by the Soviets during the ’80s.
A Bus Station
A Ferris Wheel
An orange was a rarely-seen exotic fruit in the ’80s Soviet Union.
Block Housing
Fashion
Building Propaganda
Market Hall
Street Cleaning
A Flower Seller
Lomonosov State University
Roadside Fruit Stand
A Fanta Soda Kiosk
The Melodiya Record Store
Insoles Store
The GUM (a.k,a, the State Department Store), facing the Red Square.
Waiting in Line
The Mir Cinema in Zagorsk (now Sergiyev Posad).
“Glory to Labor!”
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A Dairy Store
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A Theatre
Limousines in Front of the Kremlin
The Lenin Mausoleum
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The photos were taken by Aad van der Drift in 1984 and 1988, except when noted otherwise.
