Novaya Gazeta closes after three decades

Russia’s final major independent newspaper has announced it will stop publishing.

Novaya Gazeta stated on Friday that it will close its office on November 9.

The publication released an editorial statement to explain the decision.

It blamed relentless official pressure for ending more than thirty years of operation.

The statement declared that Russian authorities and security services forced the team to cease operations.

The paper was launched in 1993 with help from Mikhail Gorbachev.

Gorbachev used part of his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize to fund the project.

Novaya Gazeta remained the last major outlet critical of the Kremlin.

Other independent media shut down or had websites blocked after Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

The closure follows a long history of conflict with the state.

Six journalists from the paper were killed during its history.

Anna Politkovskaya was shot dead in her apartment building in 2006 while covering the second Chechen War. " "Five men were convicted of her murder in 2014. " "No one was ever ruled responsible for ordering the killing. " "Editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. " "He shared the award with Philippine journalist Maria Ressa. " "In 2022, an assailant poured red paint over Muratov on a train. " "The attack caused severe discomfort to his eyes. " "Muratov stepped down as editor in 2023 after being named a foreign agent. " "Russian authorities imposed several penalties on the newspaper in recent years. " "Officials fined the paper for allegedly discrediting the armed forces. " "They labeled it a foreign agent to imply additional government scrutiny. " "Authorities blocked all online platforms for the publication. " "They also seized the printing house and revoked the media registration. " "The final step involved an order to clear the premises. " "Officials also shut the donation system that provided support from readers. " "The newspaper accused the Federal Security Service of privatizing the state. " "It charged the FSB, Justice Ministry, and Prosecutor General’s office with usurping power. " "The statement claimed the crackdown violated the constitution. " "It described the constitutional ban on censorship as a cruel mockery. " "The paper said the constitution has been beaten and gagged like citizens. " "Oleg Roldugin, a leading journalist, is currently awaiting trial. " "Officials have also searched the newspaper’s offices. " "The statement argued that defending human rights is now treated as a crime. " "It claimed elections and civil society institutions have been dismantled. " "Some staff members who moved abroad launched a new project called Novaya Gazeta Europe. " "This new outlet has been sharply critical of the Kremlin and its military action in Ukraine.