Why were empty packs of Belomor lying on the roadsides in Egypt in the early 70s? Why did Angolans sincerely believe that Cuba was much larger than the Soviet Union? Why were Soviet military caps with earflaps in high demand among Afghans, and garbage was the subject of serious business? How were Soviet military and civilian specialists financially provided in "hot spots" - from Egypt and Afghanistan to Angola? How did they live outside of military operations, how did they solve household and financial problems? Almost nothing knows about this those who were not there, that is, the overwhelming majority of our compatriots. A new book by military historian Maxim Kustov gives the reader the opportunity to get acquainted with an almost unknown page in the military history of the USSR.