#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The Transaero aircraft service level was superior to anything that a Soviet passenger had seen before – from the menu to free blankets and pillows to each passenger in flight.
That time in the country is now called the ‘dashing nineties’: wild market, ‘new Russians’, ‘field of miracles’. That year, a branch of the Federal Migration Service Administration was created in Norilsk, the City Cultural Center was opened, and secondary school No. 4 became a multidisciplinary gymnasium.
The economic reforms in 1992 opened the way for new foreign goods to the Russian and Norilsk markets. The ordinary people made joyful discoveries almost every day. It turned out that there were many things in the world that they did not even suspect them to exist.
It is difficult to list everything: microwaves, Barbie dolls, chocolate bars, imported Coca-Cola and canned beer, gas sprays for self-defense, Oil of Yulei skin cream, chicken legs and much more. The motley and varied imported consumer goods, to which only certain proven lucky citizens previously had access, has become the public domain.
As a product of the market economy, a spontaneous mini-market appeared on Molodezhny passage, where it seemed that the whole city sold and bought. The market was aptly dubbed the ‘field of miracles’ by the people. During the 1990s, the field of miracles remained the most popular and visited trading place.
In the History Spot’s previous publication we told that the maximum number of housing – 47 houses – was built in Norilsk in 1987.
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Text: Svetlana Ferapontova, Photo: Nornickel Polar Branch archive
