The Leninist Communist Youth Union of the Russian Federation (LYCL RF; , ЛКСМ РФ; ''Leninskiy kommunisticheskiy soyuz molodyozhi Rossiyskoy Federatsii'', LKSM RF), usually known as the Leninist Komsomol of the Russian Federation (komsomol being a Russian syllabic abbreviation for ''Young Communist League''), is the youth organization of the

Communist Party of the Russian Federation The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF; ) is a communist political party in Russia that officially adheres to Marxist–Leninist philosophy. It is the second-largest political party in Russia after United Russia. The youth o ...

. Up until February 2011 it was known as the Union of Communist Youth of the Russian Federation (, СКМ РФ; ''Sojuz kommunističeskoj molodjoži Rossijskoj Federacii'', SKM RF).

History

The Leninist Young Communist League traces its origins to the founding of the Soviet Komsomol in 1918. After the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

in 1991, the Komsomol, having already lost much of its original identity, was disorganized and de facto dissolved. Many socialist and communist youth organizations would emerge from its ruins, many of which would come together to form the Union of Communist Youth in 1999. In 2003, the public organization "Communists of Petersburg" was created from the former branch of the Union of Communist Youth, and Sergey Malinkovich was elected first secretary of the Communists of Petersburg. The organization, later renamed "Communists of Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast", gained its main popularity thanks to various outrageous statements and provocative actions. In 2004, there was an internal conflict within the ranks of the Union of Communist Youth, resulting in a split of two factions, one headed by Yuri Afonin, and the other by Konstantin Zhukov. Afonin's faction represented the overwhelming majority of the organization members and remained tied to the KPRF, while Zhukov's faction became independent and gradually deteriorated into organization without any members, but with the leadership. Both factions kept the same name until February 2011 when the faction headed by Afonin changed name to the Leninist Communist Youth Union of the Russian Federation. The Leninist Communist Youth Union was a main organization that took part in efforts to organize the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students which took place in October 2017 in

Sochi Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from – ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...

Strategic goals

*In the economic sphere LKSM stands for a balanced planned and market economy - an important step in building

socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

, in which the state has a determining role. *In the social sphere the organization supports the implementation of national programs aimed at creating a full-fledged social security system, for solving the problems of youth in the area of employment, education, family, and physical and spiritual health. *LKSM insists on the transition, from currently purely propaganda actions, to real practical steps to create a full-fledged union state with

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

, as well as the reintegration of former Soviet republics, all-round cooperation with which the most important for the Russian Federation -

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

and

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

. *LKSM considers it is necessary for drastic measures to eliminate youth crime by addressing its generating socio-economic reasons. At the same time they oppose the horrible conditions in which the accused and convicts serve, most of whom are young people. Punishment shall correct, rather than maim people.Party program
, LKSM official website.

Activities

To reach the objectives of the organization, LKSM leads a variety of activities, such as: Organizing meetings, rallies, demonstrations, picketing with the purpose of expressing an opinion on current societal and youth issues. Participating in election campaigns for the Communist Party, put forward, in collaboration with the Communist Party, its representatives in government bodies at various levels. Developing a network of regional, local and primary LKSM offices. Organizing at the universities: courses, clubs, libraries, studios, summer camps etc.

References

{{Left-wing parties in the Russian Federation 1999 establishments in Russia Communist Party of the Russian Federation Youth organizations established in the 1990s Youth wings of communist parties Youth wings of political parties in Russia