I felt completely unprotected - there was no effective law, everyone was either scared shitless and fighting for survival -- or a thug. It felt like the thugs had complete power over "normal citizens" like myself. I was used seeing them on my way home from school on the street corners waiting for a chance to jump at a passerby and rob them. Often they would approach you and start a conversation, probing your fear. Then you can only get away without being humiliated/beaten/robbed by walking to a crowded place, maybe.
My dad, a scientist working at an institute (in the Soviet and post-Soviet system the science was done in specialized "institutes", not in universities), could barely make ends meet. That was in part because of hyperinflation (at the lowest point he was making $100-$200 per month, IIRC) and in part because of accumulating delays in salary payouts. I remember some periods of time when all we had was bread, spaghetti and potatoes. We could not even afford transport expenses for me to go to school - thankfully, the transport system was in such shambles that there were barely any inspectors in the Metros and buses, and certainly they didn't care enough to seriously try to punish me for using it for free. Lots of people did that during the worst years in the 90's.
Many were left in the cold, with no means to survive. A generation of pensioners basically died from hunger after years of struggle and humiliation. Old people begging for money in the streets were a common sight.
Everything was dirty, malfunctioning, disintegrating. Police, courts, doctors, the army - all corrupt. Army service was an absolute hell - underfunded, unoccupied, with disintegrating facilities and corrupt officers, the soldiers were at the mercy of inevitable bullies and thugs of their unit. Let me just say that the abuse was commonplace and leave it at that.
Finally, it felt like everyone hated each other. Racism and xenophobia of every kind. People just waiting to exploit your weakness.
Before leaving, I thought there would be periods of home-sickness I would have to fight. Nothing like that ever happened. I left my parents and family behind, but was reluctant to even come for a visit; only visited them once, in 1998. I often hear claims that it's all different now. But I think that's wishful thinking - the same thugs who made it hell back in 1997 are still alive and kicking. And, more importantly, so is the culture that nurtured them.