Fallout Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Fallout Wiki

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (commonly referred to as the Soviet Union or abbreviated as USSR), often referred to incorrectly as just Russia or Soviet Russia, was a major communist[3] power existing before the Great War.

Background[]

In 1917, tsarist Russia underwent a revolution under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, and became the first ever constitutionally socialist state.[4] This would be the basis for the eventual USSR. The Soviet Union fought in World War II on the side of the Allies, with Soviet tanks and troops capturing Berlin.[5] Later in the 20th century, the Soviet Union and fellow communist power China both contested the United States' claim that American astronaut Captain Carl Bell was the first human in space aboard Defiance 7.[6]

By the 21st century, China was considered a greater threat to the United States than the Soviet Union. However, the two communist powers[3] were considered natural allies[7] by the United States and thus a threat. After the outbreak of the Sino-American War, the possibility of a joint nuclear first strike by the USSR and China under orders from Chairman Cheng was considered as a viable option by defense analysts.[8] Russian human mutation experiments also "inspired" similar research efforts in America.[Non-game 1]

By 2077, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union improved. It was still considered a potential enemy among the U.S. military,[9] and corporate propaganda vilified the USSR as a land of forced labor camps, enforced austerity, and a source of spies trying to obtain national secrets.[7] Communist propaganda was also commonly broadcast to the United States,[4][10] and Russians were commonly bundled together with the Chinese as the "Red Menace."[3]

However, relations were close enough that a Soviet diplomat from the Soviet Consulate in Los Angeles was accepted as a resident of Vault 13, in the midst of the Sino-American War, and thus survived the Great War.[11][Non-game 2]

Soviet citizens were also present in American organized crime. Boston crime boss Eddie Winter employed Russian hitman Aleksandr Strelnikov, and Lev immigrated to the United States prior to the war to prey upon the American public.[12][13][14]

Known locations[]

Notes[]

  • In the Fallout 3 add-on Operation: Anchorage, General Jingwei's shocksword has a symbol heavily resembling the Soviet hammer and sickle.[16]
  • Surkov-brand vodka, which can be found in Fallout 4 and Fallout 76, was marketed as being imported directly from Russia.[17]
  • In Fallout 76, the Camp McClintock Patriotism Training building has a sign with the Soviet hammer and sickle being stabbed.[1] A poster depicts a similar situation, with a voting booth replacing the knife.[18]
  • The Soviet Union is mentioned in Fallout Tactics: the Spetnaz, a Russian special forces unit, is mentioned in the description for the Scorpio submachine gun, and the AK47 explicitly names Soviet armies.

Appearances[]

The Soviet Union is mentioned in Fallout, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout 76 and its updates Wild Appalachia and Wastelanders, and Fallout Tactics.

Behind the scenes[]

  • In the Origins of Fallout, R. Scott Campbell noted that, "The nuclear Armageddon in the back-story was between the US and China. After shipping several people asked me why China and not the old standby, the Soviet Union. I made the choice when I remembered experiences with Oleg, a Moscow developer I worked with months before when I was assistant-producing a typing game. Once, in the middle of a phone conversation, I heard some muffled bangs, and the phone went quiet. When I asked him what the noise was, he replied, 'Oh, it was just the Russian mob firing their guns in the street.' I thought he was joking – he wasn't. After that, I had a really hard time believing that the once mighty USSR would be in a position to threaten the world any time soon. So I turned to the next major communist country that typifies 'the East': China."
  • In Wild Appalachia, a top-secret Soviet spy ring was planned for inclusion. The player character would find a Soviet Mr. Handy and complete Mission: Accessible, a training program that would prepare them for secret operations for "Mother Russia."[Non-canon 1]
  • In the real world, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space on April 12, 1961, and the Vostok 1 flight was completed with his safe return to Earth.
  • The country's remains were meant to appear in 14° East's canceled Fallout Extreme, as the Cause made their way into China. The region would have been inhabited by Russian Cossacks. Locations in the game would have included abandoned oil refineries, Russian steppes villages, and a re-education colony.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Poster seen in Camp McClintock
  2. The Courier: "Who do you think is actually at the factory?"
    No-bark Noonan: "Ghosts. Commie ghosts what don't know they're dead. Hoping to steal our rockets so they can fly up and paint the moon pink and draw a Lenin face on it. I seen one of them disappear and reappear before my very eyes. Although being a scientist, I have to admit I might've just blinked for longer than usual, what with the shock of seeing a commie ghost and so forth."
    (No-bark Noonan's dialogue)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Codsworth: "Here you are, sir/mum. Now, I've been thinking. If something is amiss... your loved ones may simply be hiding. From... the Red Menace."
    The Sole Survivor: "The Red Menace?"
    Codsworth: "Why the communists, of course! The Russians AND the Chinese!"
    (Codsworth's dialogue)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Pioneer Scout camp terminal entries; Pioneer badge exam terminal, Codebreaker
  5. Fallout intro shows the conquest of Berlin, with an IS-2 before the Reichstag.
  6. Museum of Technology placard: "This is the actual skeleton of Captain Carl Bell who died on May 5, 1961 after his Space Capsule crash landed. Captain Bell is credited as being the first human in space on board the Space Capsule Defiance 7, but this has been constantly refuted by both the Soviet Union and China. Defiance 7's flight lasted for a total of 12 minutes and 7 seconds as it achieved one full revolution around the Earth. Donated by Edwina Bell."
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 HELIOS One terminal entries; terminal, "Can I Tell Him?"
  8. The Switchboard terminal entries; research terminal, > 2067 Jun 19
  9. Wastewater treatment plant terminal entries; manager's terminal, Reply from City Treasurer
  10. Pioneer Scout camp terminal entries; Pioneer badge exam terminal, Rail Enthusiast
  11. Natalia Dubrovhsky's Fallout bio
  12. Eddie Winter holotape 0
  13. A Vault Dweller: "Who is Lev, and why would he do this?"
    Lou: "He's just some Soviet former mobster jagoff. He and his crew joined up with us a while back. You probably saw him hanging around the Crater Core? Liked to think of himself as Meg's number two, but I don't think she thought the same. Dunno why he did what he did. Maybe just hates ghouls. Maybe hates the rest of Meg's gang. Maybe both. I'll 'member to ask him next time he tries to kill me."
    (Lou's dialogue)
  14. A Vault Dweller: "How did you end up here?"
    Lev: "From Russia, before the war. But I like it here. Americans are so soft. Such easy prey."
    (Lev's dialogue)
  15. Capitol Post article loading screen
  16. General Jingwei's shocksword texture file
  17. File:BottleLabels01 d.png
  18. Voting booth smashing a red and yellow hammer and sickle insignia

Non-game

  1. Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.85: "Michael Masters
    Michael Masters was an esteemed electronic and biological engineer before the bombs dropped. He doesn't remember much of the first years after D.C. was destroyed, but he does remember his human life and resents his Ghoulish nature (though he does appreciate the gift of longevity). He was extremely intelligent and jovial in his old life, but living as a Ghoul has made him very pessimistic and angry at the world. He sees his Ghoulness as a karmic curse, because he was attempting to keep America at the forefront of human mutation experiments, breeding super-warriors after being inspired by the work of the German, Russian, and Chinese doctors."
    (Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition Wasteland Census)
  2. Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p.3-2: "NATALIA
    Natalia is the grand-child of a Russian diplomat who worked at the Soviet Consulate in Los Angeles. She is a talented acrobat, with excellent coordination and reflexes. She is extremely intelligent and resourceful. Her only difficulty as a young child was understanding personal property laws. Natalia is very interested in leaving the Vault, and curious to explore the outside world."

Non-canon

  1. Cut content Svetlana: "Congratulations, comrade! You are now top notch secret agent. I look forward to seeing what you do for Mother Russia."
    (Svetlana's dialogue)
    Note: This comment would have played upon completion of the cut quest Mission: Accessible.
Advertisement