Oil Stones: A Soviet City in the Middle of the Sea
In 1940s and 1950s, right after the World War 2 Russia had to recover from the consequences of the Nazi invasion. Lots had to be done and as we know to complete something you need to have enough energy. And energy at that times as well as it is much likely now meant oil.
At that times the known oil reserves differed from what people in Russia know about it now. The main places to drill for oil was Southern Russia on contrary to frozen Northern Siberian regions as it’s for now. And the gemstone of the Soviet Oil production was Caspian sea region, mainly the territories that are an independent state of Aizerbajan now.
So after a massive attack of oil thirsty state the lands of this previously oil-saturated region little by little got exhausted of the black mineral treasure and the need for new sources of it arouse. Now it’s not clear who was that this genius who first came up with an idea of getting the oil right from the sea bottom where it was still plenty of it and for this purpose to build a real city 42 km (25 miles) off the coast right in the middle of the sea, but what we know is that this idea came into play and by some crazy chance it got support from that times Soviet leaders who leveraged it with the all support the biggest (by the territory) state could offer at that time. What this meant is that in a matter of just a few month a real town was built right in the middle of the nowhere on giant steel blocks coming from the sea bottom, from as deep as hundreds of feet down. And they called it “Oil Stones”.
Abandoned Base, Again
Before it was a place that had been secured as a baby by former Soviet power and was never allowed to stay that deserted.
Now it is something different.
Russian Santa Protects Russia
During the World War 2 Russian soldiers had their special Christmas and New Year postcards.
On some of such Santa looked not very peaceful in his solidarity attempt to defeat the “malicious attacker”. So probably those are the only ones where Santa can hold a machine gun or be in some other furious acts.
You In the Army Now, Ukrainian Army
Ex Soviet countries got different legacy from their parent the Big Soviet Union. To list some many Soviet armaments, some were lucky enough to get their hands on missiles and atomic stuff, then all the infrastructure etc etc.
And the compulsory army service is also the thing those countries have from Soviet Union. Like in good old times young boys of 18 and till 27 years old have to take their bodies to the army recruitment point and get their service for one year or more or.. get jailed or at least can’t get a job etc etc.
Then when they get in the army there are some legacies in there from Soviet times too. One of the most interesting facts about Red Army is that there were no socks allowed until some very recent times (2008 or something) or maybe even later. The thing that they used instead of socks were pieces of cloths that were called “portianka” and had to be wrapped around the feet each time young soldier had to put on his boots (everyday).
It takes it roots from 19th century and was totally compulsory for every soldier of Red Army in 21st century.
And this can be continued on and on, better let’s see some photos how they recruit to Army in Ukraine these days. Looks like nothing has changed from Communistic times. Same old tradition to stand pants down before a group of lady doctors for every young man in the country.
Lithuania from 1960s-1970s
Those are photos from Lithuania when it was a part of Soviet Russia. All the photos made in the time period of 1960s-1970s but what’s most touching people on those photos look almost like they look like now.
9/11 in Soviet Russia
Seems that in Soviet Russia they had also an accident based on the actions that caued 9/11 tragedy.
Though in Russia it happened thirty-three years ago, in 1976.
Not much of Russian people know about that accident, it was not in Moscow or Saint-Petersburg but in rather small city of Novosibirsk, known as “Science City” - the place where a lot of Russia research centers were based in Soviet times. Even these days this city is said to be the leader in Russian offhore programming companies - tens millions dollars of offhore programing orders come there from all of the Western world.
So, back to what has happened in late seventies there. Actually it was the same scenario when man took the plane and crashed into the multistored building on purpose, with evil plans of kill and destruction in his mind.
Of course, the reasons and the scale of the accident was less smaller than twenty five years later in New York city. The thing that inclined him to this was pretty known to most of you married folks - he wanted to kill his mother in law.
It’s hard to understand now, how such way of revenge to his wife’s mother could come into his head in Russia, where no private aircrafts were owned neither companies could own any. As has been said he was a “bright comrade of Young Communist party, having access to training planes of Soviet Youth Sport Organization”. So one day he turned from a bright comrade to an evil pilot.
It’s hard to believe but he found this house correctly among the hundreds of same looking ones of the Soviet typical construction plans building whole cities of blocks of tens same looking houses. He found the correct one and then he pointed it perfectly into the flat where his wife’s parents lived.
As a result - there were twelve dead and… there was not the mother-in-law among them. She was simply out of the flat that time. They didn’t have cell phones at that times, he couldn’t call from his plane to check if he is coming right time. And of course the mister pilot was dead too.
Gagri, Abkhazia
We had some shots from this magnificent place before a few times - some of them may be here again, but anyways this place looks cool - the lost Soviet paradise where in the sub-tropical forests of what now is called Abkhazia the old Russian resort Gagri stands, mostly abandoned now.
It’s pretty short time needed for the nature to recover and take over what man has created. It’s been said that fifty years is enough so that most of the abandoned structures can’t be spotted from the airplane. It has passed almost twenty years already.
ZAZ Fire
ZAZ was one of the biggest car manufacturers of Soviet Russia producing small Zaporozhets cars. It was coupe and some say inspired by Ferdinand Porsche design.
These days it’s on Ukraine and produces some other cars. And it got fire today in the section where the new cars get painted. Looks like this car paint burns well.
Communal Apartments in Russia
First communal apartments, where several families live together, appeared in Russia back in the 18th century, when the landlords divided their apartments into several parts and rented them out. Such apartments had five or six rooms and a kitchen, where all tenants cooked their food.
To solve the housing problems after the October revolution the authorities allowed requisitioning of rich people’s living space for new tenants, mainly communists, soldiers and security officers. (more…)
Carpets Now and Before
In the USSR carpets became popular in the 50-ies with the ear of “khruschevkas” (of low-cost panelled or brick three to five-storied apartment buildings), they we usually hung on walls or put on the floor to make rooms warmer and quieter as the walls were usually thin.
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