Novaya Gazeta, Russia's last independent newspaper, has announced that it is shutting down for good due to pressure from authorities. The newspaper, which was founded in 1993 with the help of former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, had been a staple of independent Russian journalism for over 30 years.
Editor-in-Chief Sergei Sokolov announced the shutdown, stating that the newspaper's staff had made the decision jointly after weighing all the factors, and that they had been forced to cease operations by the Russian authorities and intelligence services.
The newspaper's print and online licenses were revoked within the year, and it was forced to publish only online without registration. Security officers also raided the newspaper's office in central Moscow, and the outlet was eventually evicted.
Sokolov said that the decision to shut down was made after the state took away the newspaper's office and means of supporting itself, making it impossible to work. The shutdown has been welcomed by Russia's nationalist Telegram community, who have accused the newspaper of promoting anti-Russian narratives and discrediting the army.
The newspaper's closure marks the end of an era for independent journalism in Russia.