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A Glimpse Into the Real Lives of Russian Pensioners

Aug 09, 2018 - 10:44 am

"I met Lyubov Nikolayevna in the town of Pyatigorsk. She was sitting there occupied with three important things: knitting, counting money and smiling at passerby.” Dima Ruda

"I'm not selling the flower, I want to gift it. I'm sitting here looking for who to gift it to, and if I see a person like that, I'll give it to them. It's not just a flower — it's precious to me, and it has a name. It's called Lyuba," said Nikolayevna. Dima Ruda

"Don't you go thinking I'm homeless. I'm actually lying here looking into the windows of my apartment — I have a huge apartment, but I like spending time here in the street. When it's especially warm I even stay here overnight. I do it because I like clouds, and at night the dome of the night sky is — oh, just incredible!" said the moustachioed pensioner. Dima Ruda

“This picture was taken near the town of Shatura, not far from Moscow. When I asked this elderly woman why she didn't stay on the bus an extra stop so she wouldn't have to walk as much, she said, ‘I get off early on purpose. I'm not young anymore, and I want everything to last longer.’” Dima Ruda

“These women are sitting at a defunct bus stop in Sevastopol — a few months ago, the stop was moved a little further down. But out of habit they come and sit here, under the images of military submarines and destroyers. Perhaps, that way, they feel protected. Or maybe they just don't want to lose each other, since they've become friends over the years.” Dima Ruda

“I noticed that cats are a permanent fixture in the lives of all of the elderly. I'd often see people sitting with cats in their laps, looking through old photographs. I think the life of an elderly person gains added meaning when they have a pet.” (Smolensk) Dima Ruda

“This man simply wouldn't leave the bus. Everyone else had long since gotten off, but he wouldn't leave, and didn't notice anything around him. He just sat and looked into the distance, at people meeting each other or saying farewell. Perhaps he just didn't want to go home — who knows.” (Kaliningrad) Dima Ruda

“I often see elderly people at bus stops. Some might sit there for hours, watching the transport and the people, but never actually getting on a bus.” Dima Ruda

Russian photographer Dima Ruda traveled across Russia, from Moscow to Kaliningrad, to speak with elderly people about their daily lives. Through these personal and soulful images, Ruda offers a rare, true glimpse into the lives and stories of Russian pensioners.

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