Igor Malyarov, a young employee of Moscow State University, was elected first secretary, and he remained the permanent leader of the Union until his death in 2003.

After these events, the RCYL was banned, an arrest warrant was issued for Igor Malyarov, and he was forced to hide in Belarus.

In 1995, a member of the RCYL Central Committee Darya Mitina became a State Duma deputy on the list of the CPRF.

After the death of Igor Malyarov, Alexey Pokataev became the first secretary of the RCYL Central Committee, the second — Darya Mitina, deputy of the State Duma of the 2nd convocation.

In recent years, RCYL delegates have traveled to Cuba to participate in the program of the Cuban international brigades.

In its daily activities, the RCYL pays attention to the holding of pickets, rallies and processions of defenders of peace, social and political rights of youth.

Members of the RCYL hold protest actions "against imperialist wars, infringement of the rights of working youth and students."

It also has the right to dissolve the primary organization or declare the re-registration of its members in the event of an actual termination of its activities or contradiction of its Charter of the RCYL.

It monitors the financial and economic activities of the organization and the observance of the charter by the governing bodies of the RKSM when they make decisions, as well as when they consider letters, complaints and applications.