Alexander Couprin

Bar in the Departure zone. The story of one escape

Alexander Couprin

Moscow 1981. The hard currency bar in the departure area of Sheremetyevo International Airport. The bartender murders a drunken West German citizen in the restroom. With the victim’s clothing, documents, and ticket, he plans to assume the victim’s identity and escape the USSR. The author, a former criminal investigator with extensive expertise, delves into the lives of the era’s protagonists, ranging from hotel prostitutes to KGB generals.