I realize that part of the thing about T2k for many is "All is bleak, all is terrible" but consider a nice side adventure where a few "orbital labs" from each side alter their orbits and become their own federation, giving the middle finger to the ground based nations.
It might make for a good bit of gaming fun.
Since we hand-wave a lot of factual stuff for T2k to "work" anyway, I'd say: a Buran-class shuttle and American shuttle were at their respective stations when things went bad. They use their fuel and reactive jets to reposition the stations and MOLs close enough together that they can be linked up, if only by cables, or brought close enough that a space-walk is no great consideration. Political officers and military personnel who refuse to join the new, neutral "country" are gently but firmly* shown the Soyuz which is programmed to land near a relatively populated area and told "Good luck, you're on your own". Since the shuttles are so alike in design, if reentry is called for one can be kept in service by cannibalizing the other. "Science projects" of various growth mediums are used to keep algae and other plants producing food and O2. A small and somewhat thriving space colony of expats from East and West makes a go at it for a few years before coming home...
(Actually that's kind of the plot of William Gibson's Red Star, Winter Orbit, a decidedly non-cyberpunk short story and a damn good read.)
...
*=or drugged and thrown in.
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