At the end of 1970s a historical association called Vityaz (Витязь), sponsored by the Soviet Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, established an "informal historical, cultural and educational organization" uniting activists-bibliophiles and amateur historians. One of the purposes of the newly formed organization was to prepare the upcoming celebration of the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo. In 1991 the organization's own newspaper (print run of 100,000) and a radio station (both officially registered) were launched.