Established in 1991 on the eve of the Ukrainian declaration of independence, Nezavisimost’ (Независимость, Independence) was an independent, high-profile Russian-language daily and a successor publication to Komsomolskoe znamya (Komsomol Banner, initially called Stalinskoe plemya [Stalin’s Tribe]), with a long history as a Soviet publication. One of the most popular newspapers in the early years of Ukrainian independence, Nezavisimost’ covered domestic and international politics, business and economic affairs, and popular culture, becoming a lively outlet for social and political commentary, opinion and analysis.