Russia’s last independent newspaper has ceased operations after authorities forced it to close, ending nearly three decades of investigative journalism in the country.
Dagbladet reported that Novaya Gazeta announced in early November that it was being compelled to shut down, with operations officially ending on November 9. The newspaper said on its website that it had been “killed.”
“Russian authorities and the intelligence services have forced the editorial office to stop operations,” the newspaper wrote in a statement.
Closure Ends 29 Years of Reporting
Since 1993, Novaya Gazeta served as a critical voice in Russia's increasingly restricted media, Dagbladet reported.
The paper built its reputation on investigative journalism and critical coverage of the Russian authorities.
Six employees of the newspaper have been killed, Dagbladet reported — some shot, others poisoned.
Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya was found shot dead in the elevator of her Moscow home in 2006, after years of investigating abuses in the Russian military in Chechnya.
Journalists at the paper faced continuous threats, assaults and repeated murder attempts.
Nobel Committee Condemns Forced Shutdown
Jørgen Watne Frydnes, leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, condemned the forced closure of Novaya Gazeta.
In 2021, the chief editor of Novaya Gazeta received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Questions About the Novaya Gazeta Shutdown
Why did Novaya Gazeta shut down? The newspaper stated that Russian authorities and intelligence services forced the editorial office to stop operations. Operations officially ended on November 9.
Who was Anna Politkovskaya? She was an investigative journalist for Novaya Gazeta who was found shot dead in the elevator of her Moscow home in 2006 after investigating abuses in the Russian military in Chechnya.
What did the Nobel Committee say? Jørgen Watne Frydnes, leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, condemned the forced shutdown. The chief editor of Novaya Gazeta won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.
Related reading