Soviet Information Bureau (Russian: Советское информационное бюро (Sovetskoye informatsionnoye byuro), commonly known as Sovinformburo (Совинформбюро)) was a leading Soviet news agency in 1941 - 1961. It was established on June 24, 1941, shortly after the opening of the Eastern Front of World War II by a directive of Sovnarkom and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union "to bring into the limelight international events, military developments, and day-to-day life through printed and broadcast media."[1]
During the war Sovinformburo directed the activity of the All-Slavonic Committee, Anti-Fascist Committee of Soviet Women, Anti-Fascist Committee of the Soviet Youth, Anti-Fascist Committee of Soviet Scientists and the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee (JAC). In 1944, a special bureau on propaganda for foreign countries was set up as part of Sovinformburo.[2] In 1961 Sovinformburo was transformed into Novosti Press Agency. Today its successor is RIA Novosti.