Central Asia SSR
@caussr.bsky.social
Pondering the history and culture of Soviet-era Central Asia.
The Soviet "Russification" of Central Asian cuisine stripped foods of cultural context. Dishes like plov (pilaf) became "Soviet cuisine" while traditional food practices and ceremonies were suppressed as "backward."
April 14, 2025 at 1:45 AM
The Soviet "Russification" of Central Asian cuisine stripped foods of cultural context. Dishes like plov (pilaf) became "Soviet cuisine" while traditional food practices and ceremonies were suppressed as "backward."
Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan hosted a secret Soviet naval testing facility despite being hundreds of miles from any ocean. The USSR tested torpedoes and submarines here while the lake appeared as a vacation spot on tourist maps.
April 14, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan hosted a secret Soviet naval testing facility despite being hundreds of miles from any ocean. The USSR tested torpedoes and submarines here while the lake appeared as a vacation spot on tourist maps.
Reposted by Central Asia SSR
Viktor Tsoi and the group "Kino", 1984. Photo by Sergey Borisov
March 12, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Viktor Tsoi and the group "Kino", 1984. Photo by Sergey Borisov
Reposted by Central Asia SSR
During Eid al-Fitr, several thousand Muslims prayed in front of the Bishkek parliament building and a statue of Lenin, Kyrgyzstan, 2007. Photo by William Daniels
March 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM
During Eid al-Fitr, several thousand Muslims prayed in front of the Bishkek parliament building and a statue of Lenin, Kyrgyzstan, 2007. Photo by William Daniels
The Soviet "Virgin Lands" campaign (1954-1960) transformed northern Kazakhstan into a vast wheat belt. While initially successful, the ecological consequences of plowing 45 million acres of steppe continue to shape the region's agriculture today.
April 12, 2025 at 7:51 PM
The Soviet "Virgin Lands" campaign (1954-1960) transformed northern Kazakhstan into a vast wheat belt. While initially successful, the ecological consequences of plowing 45 million acres of steppe continue to shape the region's agriculture today.
Many Soviet-era monuments in Central Asia remain standing not from nostalgia, but because these nations are crafting historical narratives that acknowledge Soviet modernization while reclaiming pre-Soviet heritage.
April 12, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Many Soviet-era monuments in Central Asia remain standing not from nostalgia, but because these nations are crafting historical narratives that acknowledge Soviet modernization while reclaiming pre-Soviet heritage.
The shadow of Soviet nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk still looms over Kazakhstan. Over 450 tests from 1949-1989 exposed ~1.5 million people to radiation, with health impacts continuing generations later.
April 12, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The shadow of Soviet nuclear testing at Semipalatinsk still looms over Kazakhstan. Over 450 tests from 1949-1989 exposed ~1.5 million people to radiation, with health impacts continuing generations later.
Exploring the complex legacy of Soviet irrigation projects in Central Asia. The Aral Sea crisis wasn't inevitable - it stemmed from Moscow's cotton obsession and a system that prioritized production targets over ecological sustainability.
April 12, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Exploring the complex legacy of Soviet irrigation projects in Central Asia. The Aral Sea crisis wasn't inevitable - it stemmed from Moscow's cotton obsession and a system that prioritized production targets over ecological sustainability.