Post-Perestroika Newspapers

Equal parts thrilling and disorienting, the late Soviet and early post-Soviet period was one of the most tumultuous times in modern Russian history. Defined by the failures of central planning and political upheavals that gripped the Soviet Union from the Baltics to the Caucasus to Central Asia, it was a period marked by uncertainty, but also full of new opportunities.

The rapid economic and political liberalization that followed the collapse of the vast Soviet empire opened new frontiers for economic entrepreneurship that had been stifled during the seven decades of central planning. However, the emerging reality was more akin to the wild west than to anything resembling the democratic transformation that Russian reformers had hoped for. The emergence of a new oligarchic class that successfully gained control over vast industries with little to no benefit to the general population became perhaps the most distinctive feature of post-Soviet Russia – in a way determining the trajectory of the country’s political culture for the next three decades. It also paved the way for the emergence of the rule of Vladimir Putin and the securocrats.

The Post-Perestroika Newspapers collection traces the evolution of post-Soviet Russia, with coverage beginning in the mid 1980s and extending well into the twenty-first century. Established soon before or soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the newspapers in this collection document the changes taking place in Russia, some with breathtaking speed, all the while embracing innovative journalistic methods and standards that were a far cry from the journalism of the Soviet period. These newspapers, some of which had a relatively short lifespan, nevertheless provide important and critical insight into the events and personalities that defined post-Soviet Russian politics and history. Comprised of over a dozen titles, the collection is a unique treasure trove for students and historians of one of the most fascinating periods of Russian history.

The Post-Perestroika Newspapers collection is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Center for Research Libraries and its member institutions. The collection is available for free to all CRL members institutions. Non-CRL institutions that wish to purchase the Post-Perestroika Newspapers collection should contact us for more information.