Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia's most prominent independent newspapers for the past three decades, is closing after receiving an eviction order and losing the system through which readers could donate. The publication blamed Russian authorities and special services for forcing it to cease operations.
In a statement posted on its website, the newspaper described its closure as the result of a coordinated action by the state. The donation system was disabled at the same time as the eviction order arrived, leaving the publication without a way to finance its work. Staff have begun packing at its offices.
The newspaper built its reputation through investigations into corruption, human rights violations and abuses of power by officials and bureaucrats. Such reporting carried considerable danger. According to the publication, six journalists associated with it were killed because of their professional and civic work.
Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, whose reporting covered the wars in Chechnya. She was shot dead in the stairwell of her apartment building in October 2006, 20 years before the newspaper's closure announcement. In its statement, Novaya Gazeta also accused the authorities of dismantling legal protections and treating the defence of human rights and personal convictions as criminal activity.
Pressure on independent Russian journalism has intensified since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Laws introduced soon after the invasion sought to punish dissent and silence criticism of the war and the country's leadership. Novaya Gazeta and its staff subsequently faced a series of restrictions and police actions.
Authorities had already withdrawn the newspaper's licence and blocked its website. Several journalists and contributors were designated foreign agents, a classification frequently used by Russian authorities against critics. Although these measures severely damaged the publication, it continued working on a smaller scale, with loyal readers using virtual private networks to reach its blocked online content.
Police searched the editorial office earlier in 2026. Veteran investigative reporter Oleg Roldugin was arrested and charged with unlawful access to computerised information. More recently, editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov was brought in for police questioning in connection with that case, and officers searched his home.
Dmitry Muratov, who helped establish Novaya Gazeta in the 1990s and spent many years as its chief editor, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for his efforts to protect freedom of expression. Russian authorities nevertheless designated him a foreign agent in 2023. The newspaper's closure follows years of mounting constraints that had already reduced its ability to publish and reach readers.
