Russia shuts down last independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta after 33 years

Russia’s leading independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, will permanently cease operations on November 9 after 33 years of publishing, citing insurmountable pressure from state authorities and security services.

​According to Outlook India, the publication announced it will shut off its servers, leave its Moscow office, and close its donation platform after a relentless campaign rendered continued reporting impossible. Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov confirmed the closure following recent law enforcement raids on his home linked to ongoing criminal investigations against staff.

​“They’ve killed us,” the editorial team said in a statement on Friday, accusing officials of deliberately stripping the outlet of its remaining operational resources.

​Founded in 1993, Novaya Gazeta gained international acclaim for exposing corruption and human rights abuses, earning former editor Dmitry Muratov a Nobel Peace Prize in 2021. However, the paper faced escalating state hostility following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, enduring license revocations, the murders of six journalists over its history, and a “foreign agent” designation in September 2026.