"They were called khrushchevkas — five-story buildings made of prefabricated concrete panels. "They were horribly built; you could hear your neighbor," says Edward Shenderovich, an entrepreneur and Russian poet. The apartments had small toilets, very low ceilings and very small kitchens." <- from the article.

I grew up in a 5 story prefabricated concrete Krushevka in Moscow. This is my experience:

  [ ] you could hear your neighbor
  [ ] very small toilets
  [ ] very small kitchens
  [X] small toilets
  [X] low ceilings
  [X] small kitchens

Kitchens and bathrooms were small, but not much smaller from what I encounter in some NYC apartments. I feel use of the word "very" was inaccurate in the article.

Krushevkas may have been derided as ugly pox upon the cities, but at rubles to bubliks they got people out of communal apartments. Many families were able to live in their own spaces for the first time.