Novaya Gazeta, a prominent independent newspaper known for critical coverage of the Kremlin and its war in Ukraine, closed its Moscow office on Monday citing state pressure that made reporting impossible.
The closure marks a major setback for independent journalism in Russia, as authorities recently labeled the paper a “foreign agent,” ordered it to vacate its offices, and blocked Russian banks from processing donations to the outlet, its main funding source since transitioning primarily to digital publishing.
Longstanding Target of Kremlin Criticism
Co-founded with seed money from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s Nobel Peace Prize fund, Novaya Gazeta has been a symbol of glasnost-era openness and fearless reporting since 1993. Its work has repeatedly challenged powerful state actors, with six journalists murdered in connection to their investigative reports, including Anna Politkovskaya, a critic of military abuses in Chechnya and early opponent of Vladimir Putin’s policies.
On Monday, editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov was seen removing photos of Politkovskaya and fellow slain reporters from the newsroom walls, underscoring the heavy human toll experienced by the publication.
Nobel Laureate Dmitry Muratov Urges Defense of Free Speech
Dmitry Muratov, Novaya Gazeta’s founding editor and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner, called for free speech amidst the shutdown. Speaking as employees witnessed the closure, Muratov lamented that political and civil rights guaranteed by the Russian constitution have effectively ceased to function under current conditions. He urged international observers to distinguish between the Russian people and the authorities, calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the release of approximately 4,000 political prisoners in Russia.
Kremlin Dismisses Impact as Media Landscape Shifts
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterized the closure as part of a “rotational process” within a competitive media environment, downplaying its significance despite clear signs of state suppression. Novaya Gazeta’s future remains uncertain; while its Moscow newsroom is shuttered, leadership has not definitively ruled out regrouping or continuing operations from abroad, a path taken by other Russian independent outlets in recent years.
A Legacy and Spirit That May Endure
Despite the forced closure, journalist Irina Vorobyova expressed confidence that Novaya Gazeta’s spirit will survive like a “good virus” within those who were part of it, signaling hope that independent journalism in Russia persists underground or beyond its borders amid mounting censorship and repression.
