PRAVDA reinvents its identity after suspension

Summary

In August 1991, the newspaper PRAVDA returned after a week-long censorship ordered by the Russian president. The 31 August edition showed a radical change: it no longer featured Lenin's portrait or the traditional slogan, but still acknowledged its 1912 founding. Now controlled by its own journalists, the paper declared its independence and commitment to human rights. The cover proclaimed its return as an act of resistance, while the content reflected a more modern and dynamic approach.

The new PRAVDA didn't just cover politics, but promised to report on everyday issues and even encounters with "flying saucers." Despite financial struggles, the paper presented itself as a renewed voice of democracy and justice. Pages included photos from the coup attempt and a note about a support fund. With a closer and less ideological tone, PRAVDA aimed to win back readers during a time of deep change in the Soviet Union.