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On July 21, 2026, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev and TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov opened the photo exhibition "35 Years of the CIS through the lens of TASS" in Moscow's TASS Square.
Speaking to the audience, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev noted: "It is symbolic that TASS, which has been recording historical events of world life in its texts and photographic materials for more than 120 years, is the organizer of this project. TASS is not only the oldest news agency in Russia, but also the leader of the modern media sphere in the CIS. In this sense, I would like to note the special role of TASS in the CIS Information Council, which forms an objective image of the Commonwealth.
For me, this is a very symbolic exhibition, a kind of historical memory album. For 35 years, the Commonwealth has passed a rather difficult, but generally positive path. Today, the Commonwealth of Independent States is an economic and political association that ensures the effective development of each of its members.
An objective analysis of the 35-year history of the CIS gives every reason to conclude that it is in demand and capable of combining both common interests and national priorities of states.
The ideas of friendship, mutual assistance and good neighborliness on which the Commonwealth is based meet the aspirations of the peoples who want to see the CIS as a zone of stability, harmony and sustainable socio-economic development.
Our common goal is to meet the expectations of the peoples living in the CIS countries. And for this, it is necessary to fully utilize the enormous integration potential of the Commonwealth.
The photos presented here reflect only some moments of the difficult path traversed by the Commonwealth over the past 35 years. There are still many achievements ahead."
TASS CEO Andrey Kondrashov said that "throughout all these years, TASS has been closely following and reporting on the most important events in the Commonwealth. He informed me promptly and objectively, but with unwavering sympathy for people in the CIS countries who maintain good relations, mutual respect and plans for the future. The exhibition "35 years of the CIS through the lens of TASS" is a look not only into the past, but also into the future. In the sense that documentary photography not only captures certain moments from the past, but also forms a memory that will allow for an objective look at events in history in the future."
There are 20 archival photographs stored in the TASS Newsreel on electronic monitors in TASS Square. This is the first part of the exhibition. The second series will be launched in December 2026.
Photo © Sergey Bulkin/TASS
Press Service of the CIS Executive Committee