The editor in chief of Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper, was arrested and later released after being taken to Russia’s Investigative Committee on Thursday. Sergei Sokolov had been scheduled to lead an editorial meeting when his colleagues lost contact with him just before the meeting was set to begin, according to the newspaper.

Novaya Gazeta has faced increasing pressure from Russian authorities in recent months. Last month, the paper was officially designated as a “foreign agent,” a label frequently applied to critics of President Vladimir Putin’s administration. This designation came amid the newspaper’s opposition to the Kremlin’s military actions in Ukraine, which Russian officials refer to as a “special military operation.”

The designation has had significant consequences for Novaya Gazeta. The newspaper’s publishing operations have been curtailed: it lost its media license, its printing presses were confiscated, and its website was blocked within Russia. Additionally, the size of its offices and staffing have reportedly been reduced compared to before the escalation of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

Sokolov, a long-standing editor at Novaya Gazeta, was briefly detained during what appears to be part of a broader crackdown on independent media outlets that challenge the official narrative on the conflict in Ukraine. The circumstances of his arrest and release have not been fully disclosed by authorities. The move underscores ongoing tensions between independent Russian media and government agencies amid the conflict and increasing restrictions on press freedom inside Russia.