@yogthos I don't know where you have "lived through the collapse" but the fact that you associate loss of living conditions with 1993 clearly suggests Moscow.

What people experienced in Moscow or Leningrad - shortages, food coupons, queues - was for long time experienced by most people in satellite states and non-core towns of USSR.

In Poland we had that through 1970's and 80's. And 1989 was actually a huge improvement in living conditions.