High-level interpreters work in a highly politicized environment, that can influence the interpreters' lives and careers, especially in an extreme political setting. This works focuses on the USSR during the Cold War, an ideal-type background that crystallizes and exacerbates political tensions, and impacts all actors involved in international relations, interpreters included. The political conjuncture impacts, both positively and negatively, the personal and professional lives of interpreters. It affects the interpreters' physical health, their psychological and emotional state, and their personal relations and interactions with others. The impact on the professional life is felt throughout the career, its beginning, middle, and end. This research is of interest to readers who aspire to an interpreting career and inquire about possible pitfalls awaiting the high-level interpreter. It is also of relevance to those curious about the history of interpreting in the Soviet Union.