The country was a one-party state, governed by the Communist Party with Moscow as its capital in its largest republic, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR). Other major urban centres were Leningrad, Kiev, Minsk, Alma-Ata, and Novosibirsk. The Soviet Union was officially atheist. Religion was discouraged, and many churches, mosques, and synagogues were closed or turned into museums. Nonetheless, faith survived privately, especially among older generations and rural communities. Religious holidays such as Easter or Christmas were celebrated quietly, often disguised as cultural traditions.
By the 1970s and 1980s, under Leonid Brezhnev’s leadership, the Soviet Union entered a period of economic stagnation. Factories produced low-quality goods, corruption grew, and citizens became increasingly disillusioned. Still, there was a sense of stability — most people had secure jobs, free healthcare, and education. But by the late 1980s, reforms introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev, such as perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (openness), began to change everything. People were allowed to speak more freely, question authority, and learn about the outside world.
