Science fiction.
A mass of provisionals also appeared in modern Russia in the early 1990s. By liberalizing prices, T. Gaidar’s government set Russia’s economy adrift in a free-market voyage. As a result, for several years hyperinflation ruled the country. All of this affected postal circulation as well. In 1992–1993 alone, six changes to postal rates were made. The rapid rise in postal tariffs forced post offices across the country to resort to issuing various kinds of provisionals. At first, overprints were applied to stockpiled USSR postage stamps, and revaluation handstamps were placed on postal stationery. As supplies of stamps and postal stationery disappeared, issues of surrogate postage-payment signs began to appear. This happened everywhere across the country. As always, alongside postal provisionals there appeared various philatelic issues that had nothing whatsoever to do with the postal service.