Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta shuts under Kremlin pressure
The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has officially shut down, citing intense state pressure and repression from the Kremlin. The closure follows years of legal challenges and the branding of its journalists as 'foreign agents'.
Why it matters
The shutdown represents a significant blow to independent journalism in Russia and highlights the shrinking space for dissenting voices under the current administration.
Moscow Russia's flagship independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta announced on Friday (October 30, 2026) it was closing, saying it had been "killed" by State pressure after years of repression targeting its journalists whose reporting was critical of the Kremlin and its Ukraine war. The closure of Novaya Gazeta — one of the last outlets to openly criticise Russia's offensive — marks a new low in Moscow's campaign against dissenting voices that gained speed after the Kremlin sent troops into its neighbour in 2022.
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