During the post-Soviet times, mass media developed tremendously in Russia. the nineties was truly an influential time for the formation of media. Between 1986-1990 the new Russia began to take formation and much of its propaganda was controlled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union(CPSU). According to Dr. Ivan Zassoursky, Freedom of speech was highly promoted during those times.
"The freedom of speech was promoted vigorously throughout the country and even Jurgen Habermas who paid a visit to Moscow in the late eighties was impressed enough to recognize the contours of public sphere and opportunities for true democracy, opened up by the CPSU policy."
By 1992-1993, economic issues had created problems for the mass media. A debate sought out between president at the time Boris Yeltsin and the parliament. Yeltsin wanted to establish protection over the mass media and allow people to have their rights of liberty. The Post-Soviet Media & Law Policy Newsletter states:
"Citing its authority under the 1991 Law on Mass Media, Yeltsin’s Ministry of Press and Information, early in the campaign, initiated court action to close down two opposition newspapers, Sovetskaya Rosssia (Soviet Russia), and Den (The Day), on the grounds that they were abusing that law by fomenting inter-ethnic conflict and violence against the state."
Russian media censorship has been dictated for so long. A country that practiced freedom of speech and press so dilligantly, many asks where is it now? With news stations like Russian Televion or RT, that has spread from Russia throughout the rest of the world, and showcases diverse news coverage, maybe freedom of press still exists.