Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s most prominent independent newspapers, announced it will cease operations on November 9 after more than 30 years of reporting, citing intense pressure from Russian authorities. The decision marks the end of a publication known for its investigative journalism and outspoken criticism of the Kremlin, particularly on issues such as corruption, human rights abuses, and the war in Ukraine.

Founded in 1993 with support from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who used part of his Nobel Peace Prize funds to help establish it, Novaya Gazeta had become one of the few remaining critical independent voices in Russia. The newspaper’s editorial team said that ongoing government repression, including legal and financial harassment, made continuing their work impossible. Authorities had seized the paper’s printing facilities, blocked its online platforms, revoked its media registration, and shut down donation systems that had helped sustain it.

The closure follows a sweeping crackdown on dissent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. New censorship laws severely restricted media coverage of the conflict, enforcing the Kremlin’s narrative and punishing those who deviated. Novaya Gazeta refused to comply with the official line, instead using blank spaces in its publications where false or misleading information would have otherwise appeared. In the days after the invasion, the paper published a special bilingual edition condemning the war as “madness.”

The newspaper’s struggles intensified after the attack on its former editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, who won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, was doused with red paint on a train in 2022 in what U.S. officials allege was orchestrated by Russian intelligence. Muratov stepped down in 2023 after being labeled a “foreign agent,” a designation that carries severe restrictions and government scrutiny. Other staff members have faced arrest and legal charges; journalist Oleg Roldugin is currently under house arrest awaiting trial on accusations of unlawful access to computer information.

Throughout its history, Novaya Gazeta faced lethal risks, with six of its journalists killed, including Anna Politkovskaya, who reported on the second Chechen War and was murdered in 2006. Despite this, the newsroom continued its work for years under constant threat. After its print publication was suspended in 2022, the paper continued producing limited-edition magazines and maintained an online presence where possible. Some former staff who relocated abroad launched “Novaya Gazeta Europe,” an outlet that continues to critique the Kremlin and its policies.

In its final statement, Novaya Gazeta described the closure as part of a broader assault on civil society in Russia, with constitutional rights eroded and dissent criminalized. The paper accused the Federal Security Service, the Justice Ministry, and the Prosecutor General’s office of usurping power and acting to eliminate independent voices. While acknowledging the likelihood that their enemies had prevailed for now, some staff expressed hope that the commitment to journalism and truth would endure in other forms.

The Kremlin has not commented publicly on the newspaper’s closure. As Russia’s independent media landscape continues to shrink, Novaya Gazeta’s end underscores the increasing challenges faced by critical journalism in the country.