In early 1914, Plekhanov followed suit and formed his own group, Yedinstvo (Unity), with his old friends and followers Vera Zasulich and Leo Deutsch[2] The group was founded abroad, but its supporters became active in Russia proper as early as the spring of 1914[3] and published 4 issues of the newspaper Yedinstvo in St. Petersburg in May and June 1914.
Plekhanov adopted a position on the extreme patriotic end of the social democratic opinion spectrum, known as "Defensism", supporting the Russian government for the duration of the war.
Plekhanov took over the newspaper upon his return to Russia on March 31, 1917, and editorial board members included Zasulich, Deutsch, and Grigory Aleksinsky.
Yedinstvo refused to merge with the Mensheviks at the latter's Unification Congress in August 1917, at which point the group effectively became an independent party.
By that time Plekhanov was seriously ill and although the newspaper was resumed as Nashe Yedinstvo (Our Unity) in December 1917[6] (it lasted until January 1918), the party slowly declined in the early months of 1918.