Popular Russian Newspaper Suspends Provincial Edition

SARANSK, Russia -- A regional edition of the popular Russian newspaper "Komsomolskaya pravda" has suspended the operations of its branch in the Republic of Mordovia due to the ongoing economic crisis.

All "Komsomolskaya pravda" employees in the western Russian city of Saransk were asked to take a two-month, nonpaid vacation as of February 1.

"Komsomolskaya pravda" journalist Nikolay Ivashkin told RFE/RL's Russian Service that the administration of the newspaper did not exclude that the nonpaid vacation might conclude with the closure of the newspaper's branch in Mordovia.

He said the administration of the daily recommended that he and his colleagues start looking for new jobs.