This image of someone being frisked by a gangster is from a large collection of photographs in the archive of the TOGLIATTI OBSERVER

We had to restore everything all over again. We didn’t have computers. We were also drastically short of money. The little money we had saved was quickly running out as a result of the robbery and the delay with the first issue. In short, we had no funds to publish the paper.

Then we thought of a cunning move. Having analyzed the situation, we came to the conclusion that the robbery had been organized by one of Zhilkin’s competitors. That meant we should ask Zhilkin for help. A high-level meeting followed. Zhilkin read the material we were going to publish and soon figured out that there was a lot more negative stuff about his competitors than about himself. So, it was in his interest. Besides, we were finally breaking the silence by revealing the tragedy of his unlawful deposition from the city throne. In short, we became allies for the election period. At that time we firmly believed that Zhilkin (in spite of all his shortcomings) was the only man who could trigger the start of at least some positive changes in our city.

Since the time leading up to the election was running out and there was a lot to be done to restore the destroyed issue, we worked day and night. The nervous feeling was augmented by the charged pre-election atmosphere, with candidates suspecting one another of plotting assassinations and other vicious moves. We also received information that the paper might be attacked again. In the thick of pre-election clashes such rumors were perceived as absolutely trustworthy and increased our uneasiness.

To secure the paper and put the enemy off the scent, we changed the time and the place of printing three times. At the very last moment we rearranged for the paper to be printed not in Samara, but in Ulyanovsk. Still, fearing subversive activities on the part of the bitter enemy we were provided security: a colonel and two guys with rifles and bulletproof vests, whose job was to accompany the shipment of strategic importance in two cars and if necessary, fight off the perfidious enemy’s superior forces. This is how the first issue of THE TOGLIATTI OBSERVER was printed — under protection of firearms, practically in combat conditions.

Bomb effect

As we have already said, the first issue was distributed around the city for free and had the effect of a bomb explosion. For the first time ordinary citizens were shown the real picture of the people who ruled our city, and how the rights of voters were violated. These days it is fashionable to say that Russian people don’t care about politics and have a profound lack of interest in who rules them. The first issue of THE TOGLIATTI OBSERVER proved this viewpoint completely wrong. Our office phone rang non-stop for three weeks. People called to thank us for not being afraid to write about the inner workings of the local government. They thanked us for having been able to remain objective despite the heat of pre-election passions. We had phone calls from teachers and workers, veterans and businessmen. People offered to help with money out of their pensions when they learned that we had been robbed. Others called just to talk with the “brave” journalists.

In short, we could see with our own eyes that the city needed our paper.

You know what happened next. Zhilkin won the election. We were proud that THE TOGLIATTI OBSERVER had played a considerable role in his victory. Those were times of elation for all of us because we believed that after his coming to power, “the heavy fetters would fall, dungeons would collapse, and freedom would greet everyone joyously at the door.” We did not know yet that in just half a year Zhilkin and we would go separate ways.