Pravda - The Post-Soviet Period

The Post-Soviet Period

On August 22, 1991, a decree by Russian President Boris Yeltsin shut down the Communist Party and seized all of its property, including Pravda. Its team of journalists sought to keep the newspaper in existence. They registered a new paper with the same title just weeks after.

A few months later, then-editor Gennady Seleznyov (now a member of the Duma) sold Pravda to a family of Greek entrepreneurs, the Yannikoses. The next editor-in-chief, Aleksandr Ilyin, handed Pravda's trademark—the Order of Lenin medals—and the new registration certificate over to the new owners. The relationship between the new management and the Pravda staff was never an easy one. On one instance the two Greek Investors Theodoros and Christos Giannikos were blocked by the police from entering the office premises. Finally the management took a hands off approach to the Pravda and started a new weekly newspaper Pravda Pyat. Pravda was closed down for a brief period on July 30, 1996. Some of Pravda's Journalists established their own English language online newspaper known as Pravda Online.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, which was gaining new ground in Russia after 1996 Duma Elections finally purchased the Pravda. Pravda has become an Official Organ of the CPRF. This was verified by the special resolution of the 4th Congress of the CPRF. Pravda is witnessing hard times and the number of its staff members and print run has been significantly reduced. During Soviet era it was a daily newspaper but today it is publishing three times a week.

Pravda is still operating from the same headquarters at Pravda street from where many of journalists used to prepare Pravda everyday during the Soviet era. It is operating under the leadership of journalist Boris Komotsky. A function was organized by the CPRF on 5 July 2012 to celebrate the 100 years of Pravda.