 Gusev was involved in the Communist youth organization Komsomol from 1975 right up till 1983.He served as Second Secretary of Komsomol's Krasnopresnensky District branch in Moscow from 1975 till 1976, then First Secretary from 1976 till 1980.He worked in the international department of the Komsomol's Central Committee until 1983, when he joined "Moskovskij Komsomolets" in his present role as editor-in-chief.