Russia's top independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, to shut after 33 years; blames Kremlin crackdown

Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia's most prominent independent newspapers and a longstanding critic of the Kremlin, announced on Friday that it would cease operations after more than three decades, accusing Russian authorities and security agencies of systematically destroying its ability to function.

The newspaper said it would publish its final issue before closing its office on November 9, bringing an end to a publication that had become a symbol of independent journalism in Russia.

"They have killed us," the newspaper said in an editorial statement, accusing Russian authorities and security services of forcing its editorial team to cease operations. There was no immediate response from Russian officials to the announcement.

The closure follows years of mounting restrictions on independent media, which intensified after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺

Founded in 1993, Novaya Gazeta emerged during Russia's post-Soviet transition and established itself as an influential investigative newspaper reporting on corruption, human rights abuses and government misconduct. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev helped finance its launch using part of the money from his 1990 Nobel Peace Prize.

Over the following decades, the publication became known for investigations into abuses of state power, the conflicts in Chechnya and the activities of Russian security agencies. Its reporting frequently brought it into confrontation with the Kremlin and other powerful institutions. Despite repeated threats and attacks on its journalists, the newspaper continued publishing investigations that challenged official accounts.

After Russia launched its military offensive in Ukraine in 2022, Novaya Gazeta remained among the few major independent Russian media organisations still attempting to operate inside the country.

𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀

The newspaper's history has been marked by violence against its staff, with six journalists killed during its existence. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, whose reporting documented atrocities and human rights violations during the second Chechen War.

Politkovskaya was shot dead in her Moscow apartment building in 2006, during Putin's presidency. Her killing drew international condemnation and became one of the most prominent cases involving violence against journalists in Russia. Five men were convicted in 2014 for their involvement in her murder, but the identity of the person who ordered the killing has never been established through a court ruling. The attacks on Novaya Gazeta journalists highlighted the risks faced by reporters investigating politically sensitive issues in Russia.

𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝘃 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱

The newspaper's longtime editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 alongside Philippine journalist Maria Ressa for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.

In 2022, Muratov was attacked aboard a train when an assailant poured red paint over him, causing severe discomfort to his eyes. He stepped down as editor-in-chief in 2023 after Russian authorities designated him a "foreign agent", a classification that carries additional reporting obligations and restrictions.

The designation formed part of a broader campaign in which Russian authorities labelled numerous journalists, activists and organisations as foreign agents or declared them undesirable. Under Russian law, involvement with organisations designated as undesirable can attract criminal penalties.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱

Novaya Gazeta said the pressure on its operations had steadily intensified, leaving the publication without the infrastructure and financial support required to continue. The newspaper had been fined over allegations of discrediting Russia's armed forces and subjected to restrictions associated with its foreign-agent designation. Authorities also blocked its online platforms, seized its printing house and revoked its media registration.

According to the newspaper, the final blow came when it was ordered to vacate its premises and the donation system through which readers supported its operations was shut down. The newspaper described the closure as part of a wider deterioration of civil liberties and independent institutions in Russia.

It said more than three decades of work alongside Russian society would end with its staff facing uncertainty and the continuing threat of repression.

𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀

In its final statement, Novaya Gazeta accused the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Justice Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office of consolidating power and undermining constitutional protections. The FSB is Russia's principal domestic security agency and the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

The newspaper alleged that the agencies had effectively taken control of state institutions and used their authority to suppress dissent. It also accused the authorities of violating constitutional guarantees, including the prohibition on censorship, and said the legal protections for freedom of expression had become meaningless in practice.

The publication argued that the suppression of independent journalism reflected a broader dismantling of civil society, democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms.

𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱

The newspaper's announcement also comes amid continuing legal pressure on its journalists. One of its leading reporters, Oleg Roldugin, has been awaiting trial, while authorities have conducted searches at the publication's offices.

Several journalists who left Russia after the crackdown began established Novaya Gazeta Europe, an independent project operating outside the country. The overseas publication has continued reporting critically on the Kremlin, Russia's military campaign in Ukraine and the treatment of political opponents.

The closure of the original Novaya Gazeta marks the end of one of Russia's longest-running independent newsrooms, whose investigative reporting and resistance to censorship made it an internationally recognised voice of Russian journalism.