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Zviazda (Belarusian: Звязда, [zʲvʲaˈzda], literally: "The Star") is a state-owned daily newspaper in Belarus.
History and profile
Zvyazda was founded in 1917 as an organ of the Minsk Committee of Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks).
Zviazda was twice closed down by the Russian Provisional Government but continued being published under different names. At some periods of World War I and the Polish-Soviet war Zviazda was printed in Smolensk. From 10 July 1944 Zviazda has been published in Minsk. Till 1991 it was an official newspaper of the Communist Party of Belarus and the Communist parliament and government of Belarus. During the Soviet era, the paper received the Order of the Great Patriotic War and the Order of the Red Banner of Labour.
Since August 1927 the newspaper is printed in Belarusian language only. It is the only daily newspaper published in Belarusian language in the country.
During World War II remaining communists tried to publish the newspaper illegally on the territory of Nazi-occupied Belarus.
Zviazda is owned by the Belarus government. In 2012 its print was reduced to 30,000 copies.