Communal apartments (Russian singular: коммунальная квартира, romanized: kommunal'naya kvartira, colloquial: kommunalka) appeared in the Soviet Union following the October Revolution of 1917. The term communal apartments is a product of the Soviet epoch. The concept of communal apartments grew in Russia and the Soviet Union as a response to a housing crisis in urban areas; authorities presented them as the product of the "new collective vision of the future."

Between two and seven families typically shared a communal apartment. Each family typically had only one room, which usually served as a living room, dining room, and bedroom for the entire family. All the residents of the building shared the use of the hallways, kitchen (commonly known as the "communal kitchen"), bathroom and (rarely) telephone.

The communal apartment became the predominant form of housing in the Soviet Union for generations, and examples still exist in "the most fashionable central districts of large Russian cities". Most communal apartments were replaced after the death of Joseph Stalin with Khrushchyovkas in which each family had their own private apartment. This was then followed by Brezhnevkas which were built taller, had bigger apartments, and came with heretofore unavailable amenities such as elevators, interior bathrooms, garbage disposals and central heating systems. Today in Russia, Soviet style apartment blocks are still built and are termed "Novostroika", they are often painted colorfully and have all modern amenities.