The Communist Union of Youth (Russian: Коммунисти́ческий сою́з молодёжи), usually known as Komsomol (Russian: Комсомо́л, a syllabic abbreviation from the Russian Kommunisticheskii Soyuz Molodyozhi), was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of Youth, or RKSM. During 1922 it was reformed as an all-union agency, the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), named Vsesoyuznii Leninskii Kommunisticheskii Soyuz Molodyozhi (VLKSM) (Russian: Всесоюзный Ленинский Коммунистический Союз Молодёжи (ВЛКСМ)  listen (help·info); English: All-Union Leninist Young Communist League).

During the revolution, the Bolsheviks did not display any interest in establishing or maintaining a youth division. However, by 1918 the first Komsomol Congress met with the patronage of the Bolshevik Party, despite the two organisations having not entirely coincident membership or beliefs. By the time of the second Congress, a year later, however, the Bolsheviks had, in effect, acquired control of the organisation, and it was soon formally established as the youth division of the Communist party.

Oleg Mikhaylovich Gazmanov (Russian: Оле́г Миха́йлович Газма́нов, born July 22, 1951, Gusev) is a Russian pop singer, composer and poet, specializing in patriotic songs that glorify Russia and Russian history, as well as songs which cover more conventional pop/rock themes. Gazmanov is leader of rock-group "Эскадрон" (Squadron). His songs have been covered by others in the chanson style, such as Mikhail Shufutinsky. He is also a Candidate for Master of Sport of the USSR in gymnastics and is well known for his acrobatics performed during live shows, especially at the beginning of his musical career in the early 90's.