PUR (Political Directorate of the Revolutionary Military Council) was organized in May 1919 after the All-Russian Bureau of Military Commissars (VBVK) was abolished. In turn, the Political Section of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (RVSR) was renamed PUR. It was formed (in part) to manage the Party's political work in the Red Army and Navy. To this end, PUR also operated printing and publishing departments tasked with disseminating political literature and information.

The Red Army's political sections (politodeli or singular, politodel) were responsible for turning out literature, recruiting party members, and organizing a myriad of political activities. The power of the political sections was vested in PUR (Political Directorate of the Revolutionary Military Council). PUR was organized in May 1919 after the All-Russian Bureau of Military Commissars (VBVK) was abolished. In turn, the Political Section of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (RVSR) was renamed PUR. Its formation created a unified system of Communist Party political outlets within the Armed Forces to manage the political work of the Red Army and Navy. According to historian Francesco Benvenuti, PUR, “…was beset with difficulties of internal coordination, in particular between the divisional and higher levels.”