Everyday Life in Soviet Ukraine

Aileen Kauffman interviews her mother, Victoria Kauffman, about growing up in Kyiv under late state socialism. Victoria describes the architecture of the building and apartment she grew up in, and the furniture and electrical appliances it contained. She discusses cooking and washing, and her experience of shopping, public transportation, and education. She recalls being evacuated to Western Ukraine after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and learning about the disaster by secretly listening to foreign radio. Victoria discusses the abundance of lobster and caviar, and the absence of plastic. Finally, she recalls recycling broken goods to make toys and decorations with.