In mid-1860 Grigory Blagosvetlov came in, to invite several new authors, including Dmitry Pisarev who became the head of the literary criticism section.

In 1862, after the publication of Pisarev's essay "Poor Russian Thought" (Бедная русская мысль), the magazine received half a year suspension.

Some attacks on liberal literature and arts published in the journal were criticized even by its Sovremennik allies.

Polemic essays by Pisarev, Varfolomey Zaytsev, Nikolai Shelgunov, Afanasy Shchapov represented the facade of Russkoye Slovo.

After the 1866 Karakozov's assassination attempt Russkoye Slovo (as well as Sovremennik) was closed by a monarch's decree.