TAG | Soviet past

Mar/12

“Under Yesteryear’s Snowfall” – classic animation

No comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Art, Culture, Video

“Under Yesteryear’s Snowfall” is an animated film made in 1983 by the Soviet filmmaker Alexander Tatarsky based on a script of Sergey Ivanov. The cartoon is performed in the technique of plasticine animation.

It is a funny psychedelic Christmas story about a peasant going to forest in search of a Christmas tree.

The cartoon is distinguished by the fact that the aphoristic remarks of the characters, full of absurdist humor, turned to folk sayings.

Tags: cartoon · Soviet past

Feb/12

Abandoned radar station of Soviet missile defense system

1 Comment · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Army, Photos

“Dunai-3U” is early warning radar station of Soviet missile defense system A-35M located in Moskovskaya oblast. The station was put in service in 1978. NATO’s code for radar station “Dunai-3U” is “Cathouse”.

Today the station operates partly; most of the equipment was dismantled. Once it was one of the most secret military facilities of the Soviet Union. Today the station is practically deserted. Photos by artuniar.

(more…)

Tags: Abandoned · Moskovskaya oblast · Soviet past

Feb/12

Soviet propaganda – the beginning

1 Comment · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Art, Culture, Society

Soviet propaganda is propaganda of communist ideas and the Soviet way of life. It was carried out deliberately and centrally under the direction of the Communist Party and was officially called the ideological work, educating the masses, etc.

The propaganda combined the universal values (freedom, social justice), and patriotism. Propaganda was conducted through the media, books, movies, theater, and visual art. Today it is the part of Soviet cultural heritage.

Let’s take a look at how it all began during the Civil War and establishing of Soviet power in 1917-1923.

Death to world imperialism!

(more…)

Tags: posters · propaganda · Soviet past

Jan/12

Abandoned base of Soviet military equipment

3 Comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Army, Photos

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union produced a huge amount of various military equipment. The country was preparing for the Third World War, but it did not happen. With each passing year more and more of the machinery and equipment became obsolete.

A lot of the machines were dismantled or conserved at special bases. Sometimes, for unknown reasons, large bases full of military equipment simply stopped functioning. The following photos were taken on one of these abandoned bases by saoirse-2010.

(more…)

Tags: Abandoned · Soviet past

Oct/11

The museum of Soviet helicopters in Torzhok

No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Army, Photos, Technology

On the territory of Torzhok (small town in Tver oblast) the 344th Training Center of Army Aviation Pilots is located. The center includes the 696th instructors’ helicopters testing regiment. The regiment conducts the testing of all current models and modifications of Russian military helicopters.

Since 1989 there is a helicopter museum on the territory of the center. The unique collection of the museum has 14 machines representing the history of the helicopters in the USSR. Photos by Denis Mokrushin.

Mi-1. The first Soviet helicopter constructed in 1948. It was used for training in flight schools until the mid-1970s.

(more…)

Tags: museum · Soviet past · Tver oblast

Jul/11

Propaganda posters of Soviet space program part 2

11 Comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Art, Politics, Technology

Our first post about Soviet space propaganda received a lot of attention so we decided to make the second part. All the posters are available in high quality (clickable).