Russia's Final Independent Major Newspaper Closes After 30 Years of Operation

Novaya Gazeta, Russia's last major independent newspaper, announced on Friday that it is closing its doors after more than three decades of continuous operation.

The decision marks the end of a media outlet that has long served as a primary check on the Kremlin, forcing the editorial team to stop work under what they described as relentless official pressure.

The newspaper began in 1993 with financial support from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who dedicated part of his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize to its launch. It survived the post-2022 crackdown on dissent that eliminated or blocked other critical outlets, but recent legal actions have left it without the means to continue.

In its final editorial, the paper stated that Russian authorities and security services forced the shutdown. It cited specific actions taken against the organization, including a fine for discrediting the armed forces, its designation as a foreign agent, and the blocking of all its online platforms. Officials also seized the newspaper's printing house and revoked its media registration, removing its legal status to operate.

The closure comes after a series of personal attacks on the paper's leadership and staff. Editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, a 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was attacked on a train in 2022 and stepped down from his role in 2023 after being named a foreign agent. The publication has also mourned the deaths of six journalists, including Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot dead in 2006. Five men were convicted of her murder in 2014, though the order behind it remains unresolved.

The newspaper accused the Federal Security Service, the Justice Ministry, and the Prosecutor General's office of privatizing the state and violating the constitution. It noted that journalist Oleg Roldugin is currently awaiting trial and that its offices have been searched. A new project called Novaya Gazeta Europe, led by staff who moved abroad, continues to publish critical reporting on the Kremlin.

The office will close on November 9 after the publication of its final issue. The paper stated that it will end its operations on the street, describing its exit as a destitute departure under constant threat.