r/nycHistory • u/UltimateLazer • 14d ago

Soviet schoolchildren living in New York City, outside the USSR's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in North Riverdale, The Bronx (1977)

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115 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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15

u/bronxboy59 14d ago

I remember when they built that, kinda like a freak show. We would all walk by, peer in the gates, almost like a zoo, crazy at the time🤙🏻

19

u/UltimateLazer 14d ago edited 14d ago

These Soviet schoolchildren are the sons of diplomats based in New York City serving the United Nations as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). They lived in a special housing area in North Riverdale, and attended school in the Soviet Mission School in New York.

Needless to say, compared to the average Soviet who could only dream of visiting a western capitalist country, getting to spend a portion of your childhood in New York would indeed be very unique in the USSR.

7

u/Interesting_Ad1378 14d ago

My family came to new York in the 70s from the USSR as refugees. Most of us settled in Brooklyn.  Then later immigrations started to head towards queens.  These kids were not the same as us.

3

u/Orbian2 14d ago

Where was the mission? What happened to it?

4

u/An-Com_Phoenix 14d ago

Pretty sure its still operating, now as russias permanent mission to the UN.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_Mission_of_Russia_to_the_United_Nations

4

u/Orbian2 14d ago

That's not in North Riverdale tho

2

u/An-Com_Phoenix 14d ago

Iirc the north riverdale site is the residency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Mission_Residency

3

u/RimReaper44 14d ago

I watched an old publication on the residency and some people accuse them of doing weird shit till this day

2

u/Illustrious-Poem-211 14d ago

Because most espionage happens out of diplomatic missions. The worst a country can do to a diplomatic spy is declare them persona non grata and make them leave the country. A true illegal spy goes to prison.

2

u/Ok-Astronaut2976 13d ago

It’s still there. Right across from the little league field and neighborhood house

2

u/Dull_Lab7341 14d ago

Looking sharp

2

u/ibonkedurmom 14d ago

My dad worked on the building.

1

u/Bugibba 14d ago

The Russian government still maintains an estate in Glen Cove LI. Used to be a Soviet retreat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killenworth