Krokodil

Krokodil (, ) was a satirical magazine published in the Soviet Union and later Russia. The first issue was published on 27 August 1922 as the satirical supplement to the ''Workers' Gazette (called simply «Приложения» [Supplement]). When it became a separate publication, the name Crocodile was chosen at an editorial meeting from among a list of suggested animal names. At that time, many satirical magazines existed, such as Zanoza and Prozhektor. Nearly all of them eventually disappeared.

==History== Krokodil was founded in 1922, first as a supplement to Rabochaya Gazeta'' ('Workers' Newspaper'), and was published once a week. Although political satire was dangerous during much of the Soviet period, Krokodil was given considerable license to lampoon political figures and events. Typical and safe topics for lampooning in the Soviet era were the lack of initiative and imagination promoted by the style of an average Soviet middle-bureaucrat and the problems produced by drinking on the job by Soviet workers. Krokodil also ridiculed capitalist countries and attacked various political, ethnic and religious groups that allegedly opposed the Soviet system.