Abstract: This paper explores the role of Russian emigration in shaping Yugoslav perceptions of Soviet life, drawing on authentic testimonials from “experts on Russian issues” in the 1929–1930 Belgrade newspaper. Adopting a cultural perspective, the analysis of these narratives unveils diverse observational positions, exemplified by the reporting of two Prague Russians: Left SR Vladimir Ivanovich Lebedev and “Krest’yanskaya Rossiya” party deputy, Sergey Semyonovich Maslov. The case study, centered on articles from Politika, Vreme, and Pravda, underscores the multifaceted nature of Yugoslav attitudes towards the Soviet Union during this period, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the impact of Russian emigration on public opinion.

Keywords: Russian emigration, cultural history, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, USSR, Yugoslav periodicals, experts on Russian issues, Sergey Maslov, Vladimir Lebedev

Summary

This paper focuses on a critical analysis of newspaper articles written by Russian emigrants Vladimir Ivanovich Lebedev and Sergey Semyonovich Maslov, who presented purportedly “objective information” on Soviet life in Belgrade newspapers (Politika, Vreme, and Pravda) between November 1929and September 1930. These texts, originating from the Left Socialist-Revolutionary and the deputy of the “Krestyanskaya Rossiya” party, serve as a focal point for understanding the formation of Yugoslav viewpoints on the Soviet Union during this period through the prism of Russian exiles. The authors attained recognition as “objective reporters” and “pertinent experts on Russian issues” due to their access to firsthand information. Lebedev’s unauthorized month-long sojourn in the USSR and Maslov’s reports, collected through agents of the “Krestyanskaya Rossiya” party in collaboration with the “Opus” organization, facilitated insights directly from the field. Their reputation among readers in the area who were looking for knowledgeable viewpoints on Soviet issues increased as a result of these contributions. The paper suggests that the authors’ various political positions had a direct influence on their depictions of life in “Soviet Russia”. Significant disparities arise in the analyzed texts based on the writers’ perceptions of the Soviet Union. The trajectory of these purportedly “objective” reports formed and greatly affected Yugoslav readers’ ideas of Soviet life.