Moskovskij Komsomolets
The newspaper first appeared on the 11th of December 1919 under the name Yunyi Kommunar. It emerged from the Moscow Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League. Just a few months after that initial issue, editors changed its title to Yunosheskaya Pravda. Vladimir Lenin died in January 1924, and the paper adopted the new name Molodoy Leninets shortly thereafter. By September 1929, it settled into its current identity as Moskovskij Komsomolets. The publication ceased operations between 1931 and 1939 for reasons not detailed in available records. World War II interrupted publishing again when production stopped in August 1941. Editors resumed printing only on the 2nd of October 1945 after the war ended. Until 1990, the outlet served as the official organ for both the Moscow City Committee and the Moscow Committee of the Komsomol. In 1991, editorial staff took ownership of the newspaper from the state organization.
Pavel Gusev has held the position of editor-in-chief since 1983. His tenure spans over four decades of continuous leadership at the helm. A photograph from the 22nd of March 2001 shows him seated leftmost during an interview with President Vladimir Putin. This image captures a moment where he represented the chief editors of Russian leading newspapers. Previous leaders include Alexey Flerovsky who served from 1963 to 1967. Igor Bugayev led briefly in 1967 before being replaced that same year. Other editors like Sergey Zheleznyak and Olga Batalina appear in later political conflicts but did not hold this specific role. The stability provided by Gusev's long service contrasts sharply with the frequent changes seen earlier in the paper's history. He remains the longest-serving editor in the publication's modern era.
Autumn 1975 marked the founding of Russia's oldest hit parade known as Zvukovaya Dorozhka. Yu. V. Filonov established the music chart under the newspaper's banner. The event features both Russian and international musical acts performing on stage. Since 2003, organizers have held the ceremony inside concert halls rather than smaller venues. Critics consider it one of the major Russian music awards today. The program has run for decades without interruption despite changing political climates. It serves as a cultural anchor for the publication beyond its news reporting duties. Fans attend these events to hear live performances from top artists across genres.
On the 16th of March 2013, an article titled Political prostitution has changed gender appeared in the daily edition. Georgy Yans wrote about the careers of three female State Duma deputies from United Russia. Olga Batalina, Ekaterina Lakhova, and Irina Yarovaya were named directly in the piece. That same day, deputy Andrey Isayev promised on Twitter to deal toughly with the authors. He called responding bloggers small creatures who remain indifferent to his actions. On the 20th of March 2013, seven United Russia deputies requested checks into dubious advertisements within MK. They asked the Prosecutor General's Office and Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate. Four members of the United Russia faction including Anatoly Vyborny demanded return of the editorial building in October 2013. Unknown persons bombarded the newspaper office with smoke bombs later that year. Pavel Gusev believes some people from United Russia orchestrated the attack as revenge for the article.
A poll conducted by the Levada Center in May 2004 found 9% of Russians read the paper regularly. The same survey showed 33% of Moscovites engaged with the publication more or less often. Data from the year 2000 reported slightly higher figures at 11% nationally and 40% locally. Current circulation numbers range between 900,000 and 1,980,000 copies per print run. This volume approaches one million readers across the country daily. The high local readership among Moscow residents reflects its strong regional presence. These statistics highlight a significant gap between national reach and city-specific engagement levels.
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Common questions
When did Moskovskij Komsomolets first appear under its original name?
Moskovskij Komsomolets first appeared on the 11th of December 1919 under the name Yunyi Kommunar. It emerged from the Moscow Committee of the All-Union Leninist Young Communist League.
Who has been editor-in-chief of Moskovskij Komsomolets since 1983?
Pavel Gusev has held the position of editor-in-chief since 1983. His tenure spans over four decades of continuous leadership at the helm and he remains the longest-serving editor in the publication's modern era.
What music event did Moskovskij Komsomolets found in autumn 1975?
Autumn 1975 marked the founding of Russia's oldest hit parade known as Zvukovaya Dorozhka by Yu. V. Filonov under the newspaper's banner. The program features both Russian and international musical acts performing on stage and serves as a cultural anchor for the publication beyond its news reporting duties.
Why did United Russia deputies request an investigation into Moskovskij Komsomolets in March 2013?
On the 16th of March 2013, an article titled Political prostitution has changed gender appeared in the daily edition written by Georgy Yans about three female State Duma deputies from United Russia. That same day deputy Andrey Isayev promised to deal toughly with the authors and seven United Russia deputies requested checks into dubious advertisements within MK.
How many copies does Moskovskij Komsomolets print per run currently?
Current circulation numbers range between 900,000 and 1,980,000 copies per print run. This volume approaches one million readers across the country daily.