‘They killed us’: Russia’s last independent newspaper falls silent amid pressure from Kremlin

Novaya Gazeta to End Operations After Years of State Pressure

Earthguardiansonline.com – One of Russia’s best-known independent newspapers is preparing to close after three decades of reporting that often challenged the country’s authorities. Novaya Gazeta said it will cease operations on November 9, describing the decision as the result of escalating pressure from Russian security services and regulators.

Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov announced the shutdown in a video message, saying the publication had reached the end of its ability to operate inside Russia.

“Novaya Gazeta has been killed.”

Sokolov said the newsroom would switch off the lights at its longtime office, close its servers and leave the building that had served as its home for 30 years. In his account, the paper’s staff had not chosen to abandon their work voluntarily; they had been compelled to stop.

“The Russian security services have forced the editorial team to cease operations.”

A shrinking space for independent reporting

The closure marks another major loss for Russian journalism at a time when independent reporting has become increasingly difficult. Novaya Gazeta built its reputation through investigations into corruption, abuses of power and misconduct by state bodies. Its work frequently put it at odds with the Kremlin and exposed its journalists to exceptional risks.

The newspaper was founded in the early 1990s, with support connected in part to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Over time, it became a prominent platform for investigative journalism in Russia and an important source of reporting that was not aligned with official state messaging.

Pressure intensified after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, lawmakers made it a criminal offense to distribute material deemed “fake” or damaging to the reputation of the Russian military. The legislation contributed to a broad crackdown that pushed many journalists out of the country, including people associated with Novaya Gazeta.

Shortly after the invasion, Novaya Gazeta suspended both its print and online editions in Russia following a warning from Roskomnadzor, the country’s media regulator. The warning came after Dmitry Muratov, then the paper’s editor, joined other independent Russian journalists for an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in March 2022.

An affiliated publication, Novaya Gazeta Europe, operates from Riga, Latvia. Its existence reflects the wider relocation of Russian-language independent media beyond Russia’s borders, where reporters and editors have sought to continue publishing without facing the same immediate restrictions.

“The information space in Russia has disappeared”

Sokolov said the newspaper’s fate should be understood as part of a larger collapse in the availability of reliable information for people inside Russia. He argued that audiences are left with limited access to reporting that is independent of state influence.

“The information space in Russia has disappeared.”

He said people may be unable to learn even about events close to where they live because available news sources either present an unrealistic picture of the country or promote the worldview preferred by those in power.

For readers, the significance of Novaya Gazeta’s closure extends beyond a single newspaper. Independent outlets play a central role in documenting public institutions, investigating allegations of wrongdoing and giving citizens information that may not appear in official media. When such publications disappear, the range of publicly available accounts narrows further.

Journalists faced threats, attacks and killings

Novaya Gazeta’s history has been marked by severe dangers for its staff. Six journalists connected to the newspaper have been murdered during its three-and-a-half decades of operation. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin who investigated human rights violations in Chechnya.

Politkovskaya was killed outside her Moscow apartment in 2006, on Putin’s birthday. Her death became one of the most widely remembered attacks on a Russian journalist in the post-Soviet era.

Muratov, a co-founder of Novaya Gazeta, received the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2021 alongside Philippine journalist Maria Ressa. The Nobel Committee honored them for their efforts to defend freedom of expression. Muratov was later targeted in April 2022 while traveling by train from Moscow to Samara, when he was attacked with red paint mixed with acetone. The newspaper said he nearly lost his eyesight, while those responsible were released.

Both Muratov and Novaya Gazeta were designated as “foreign agents” by Russian authorities. The label has increasingly been used against people and organizations the state portrays as being subject to outside influence. It can carry extensive reporting obligations, financial penalties and reputational consequences.

Resources and legal avenues cut off

In its final statement, Novaya Gazeta said it had continued for as long as circumstances allowed. But the paper said it had been removed from its premises and lost access to the donations system that enabled readers to provide financial support.

“We have been stripped of all our resources. Entirely.”

Authorities also revoked the outlet’s license and blocked access to its website within Russia. Earlier this year, investigative reporter Oleg Roldugin was arrested on allegations of unlawful access to computerized information. Sokolov was detained for questioning, and his home was searched in connection with that case.

The publication said it could no longer continue under the Novaya Gazeta name. One final issue is planned before the staff pauses to consider what form its future work might take.

Muratov has remained publicly active in efforts to seek the release of Russian political prisoners. Even as Novaya Gazeta falls silent in its current form, its decades of reporting, its losses and the work of its journalists remain a reminder of the high cost of independent journalism in Russia.