Poland was slowly leaving Russia's orbit (1990)

ul. Floriańska, Kraków, August 1990. My first ever trip to Poland. Were these young Russian soldiers on leave, moving just ahead of me? Or Polish? Something made me want to capture them with my camera. Somehow they appear to be wearing Russian uniforms. 

Yes, I did see other Russian soldiers during that week so long ago. Once a big group in the distance, wearing their distinctive flat caps near a bus, perhaps about to board it. Poland was slowly leaving Russia's orbit. Ceasing to be a satellite state. But Russia's influence was still to be seen.

And that beautiful Polish girl! Who came fleetingly towards me as I took the photo. Like the woman in the red dress from the film "The Matrix". Where are you now dear?

And now a thought experiment. Where are these young men now? Did they recently get conscripted or brought back as reservists by Putin? To fight and die a senseless death in Ukraine? Now fathers themselves.