Mike, the documentaries that keep showing up on your channel are just incredible.

Seriously, I don't think I can put into words how much I've enjoyed, and appreciated the content like this that you've put up.

Content that's now preserved and shared, that would have otherwise been lost to time.

Thank you so very much and please please don't stop.

Poor Valera grew up at the worst time for a young Russian with the 90s right around the corner.

I served as a Marine from 1974-78. The Soviet soldier was portrayed as a super soldier

I recorded this on tape back in 1986 and found it to be particularly interesting because I was committed to going into the U.S. Navy boot camp in January. I would occasionally look for this on youtube without any luck then all of a sudden it finds me!

I was stationed in the US Army's Berlin Brigade in Germany in 1987-1988 and we encountered young Russian soldiers at the border checkpoints while travelling between West Germany and West Berlin. I remember thinking how they looked as young as we did, and they were impressed by our western automobiles (my Section sergeant had a 1985 IROC Z28 Chevy Camaro, and they would practically drool over it whenever he came to one of the checkpoints). Sometimes we would trade music cassette tapes and cigarettes in exchange for Soviet military uniform items. All in all, I came to realize that our governments were responsible for instilling fear between our two countries and those Russian soldiers were doing their jobs the same as we were.

I was drafted to Soviet Army in fall of 1985. Needless to say the process wasn't like depicted in documentary. Aside the Oath of Allegiance the rest of the КМБ or Course of the Young Soldier  is much more grimmer and under constant harassment from sergeants assigned to us. Despite the conditions it was the safest few weeks of the first year. Once you are assigned to regular platoons that's when the worst of your first 6-7 months starts. First 6 months you are called a "Ghost". A nobody, the lowest of the low scum in the army.

Very interesting to see the other side. I was just entering US Army Infantry basic training at 17 in June of 86. I would serve in West and East Germany in the next few years after this documentery was filmed. Their training was definately conducted differently from ours. Some of the basic Soldier stuff was in there but we related to each other different.

Something about the late 70’s into 80’s Soviet Union is so interesting to me. I wanna see Russia before I die.

As awesome as this is, just remember, what you see with the cameras around, is NOT what it really is...I know I saw boot camp videos of our military too, and it was so lenient and relaxed...when in reality it was a haze session and meant to break your spirit down to build you up as a new individual. It made me the man I am today. HM3(FMF) 2013-2019..

the shot of recruits nodding  off/fighting sleep during classroom  training ..lol...i remember that  during my boot camp training experience in my own country Canada  in the 90s ..its no doubt universal ..lack of (RESTFUL) sleep and constant stress both physical  and mental ..hits around the second week

Crazy to think this was only 39 years ago

Hi guys ! I served in the Red Army as a sergeant, deputy platoon commander, tanker! Served for 4 years! Everyone had completely different degrees of preparation! Then he served in the French Legion for 10 years! If anyone is interested, I can tell you about the Red Army!

Hi guys ! I was serving in Soviet Union Army in Soviet Airborne Forces. 1986- 1988.  6 monts in Training Division Rukla - Lithuanian SSR - Sergeant school / BMD-2 Commander.  And after sergeant training got deployed to Guard 76th Airborne Division. 104th Airborne Regiment Pskov City - Russia. Никто Кроме Нас! За ВДВ! Nobody But Us! Za VDV!  Sergeant Pavel Shcherbakov.

What a great time capsule this is!  The talk at the end is such a good insight to the concerns of the time because the Soviet breakup was just around the corner.

служил в Советской армии в 1987-89- годах, в ГДР.  В той  армии было много плохого, чего не увидишь в документальных фильмах.

damn, this is way better than what passes for media these days

I remember seeing this when I was 16 when it was broadcast.

I was still a little kid back then. My kid self had no idea that my younger self would later become a Russian speaker, and visit parts of the former Soviet Union. Yesterday, I was in Estonia, although a seperate nation now. Back then I was so ignorant about that part of world. My concept of Russians  was the movies like Rocky 4, Red Dawn, Red Heat, Hunt For Red October etc. Years later I watched them as a grownup, after learning to gavaryu pa Ruski. I was laughing hysterically. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Russian sound like he had a cerebral palsy because of the heavy Austrian German accent.

These were the best last days of the USSR. I was 5 back then, but still remember those times living in Yakutian (Far North East Siberia) village.

In 1986 I was drafted into the USSR Navy, I served for three years...Golden times of my youth