Novaia Gazeta, a prominent independent newspaper in Russia, announced on Friday that it will cease operations after three decades, citing increasing pressure from authorities, according to reports.
Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov stated in a YouTube declaration, “Novaia Gazeta is no longer in existence.” He described how the Russian authorities and security services forced the editorial team to halt their work. “We have been killed. On November 9, we will turn off the lights in the office where we operated for 30 years, shut down the servers, and leave. The newspaper no longer exists,” the publication, known for its criticism of the Kremlin, conveyed in a statement on its website.
The newspaper’s operations had already been significantly restricted following the introduction of military censorship in Russia amid the large-scale offensive in Ukraine that began in February 2022. However, Novaia Gazeta had continued to maintain a presence online.
The editorial team expressed sorrow over the ending of their shared journey with the nation and its citizens, warning that they are being left homeless and threatened with constant repression. “More than 30 years of life with our country and its citizens will come to an end, leaving us without shelter, without means of subsistence, and under the constant threat of repression,” the message stated.
Throughout its three-decade history, the publication faced significant hardships, particularly under the current political regime, which has seen six of its colleagues murdered for fulfilling their journalistic and civic duties: Igor Domnikov, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Anna Politkovskaya, Stas Markelov, Anastasia Baburova, and Natalia Estemirova.
Journalists Evacuated from Their Longtime Office
According to the independent outlet Meduza, which operates from exile, the Novaia Gazeta editorial team was evacuated on Thursday from their office located in central Moscow, where they had worked for 30 years.
The report indicates that following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow authorities blocked Novaia Gazeta’s websites, revoked its license, and designated it as a “foreign agent” last month.
The Economist reported that earlier this week, the editorial board held a meeting where the decision to close the publication was made. Novaia Gazeta officially announced the cessation of its activities on Friday morning.
The editorial team explained that they resisted repression for as long as possible, but authorities not only evacuated the newspaper’s office but also blocked the platform through which they received donations from readers, essential for their operation.
“This is a coordinated campaign. The banks that blocked our accounts tell us they are merely following internal company rules. However, they do not disclose that the rules they adhere to are set by the FSB, the state security service, which has infiltrated every organization,” the editorial team stated.
“We Awoke in a ‘Death Zone’”
Novaia Gazeta accused the Russian authorities of viewing the country as their personal fiefdom and condemned numerous attempts by the government to block critical articles. “Since the beginning of the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine and the introduction of criminal charges for ‘discrediting the Russian army,’ we can no longer report on the most critical and tragic events of our time. Censorship now pervades nearly all spheres of civic life,” the editorial message lamented, criticizing attacks on journalists Dmitry Muratov, Elena Milashina, and Oleg Roldugin.
“Our offices have been searched, and the apartment of our editor-in-chief, Sergei Sokolov, has been raided. For nearly five years of war, we managed to continue working while being completely surrounded by security services. Now it has come to an end. We have found ourselves in a ‘death zone,'” the Novaia Gazeta team concluded, referring to the area on the Ukrainian frontline between the two opposing sides where nothing can survive due to constant surveillance by drones, according to fighters.
