🔻The newspaper «Novaya Gazeta,» one of the most prominent independent news outlets that is still operating in Russia, has announced that it will be shut down next month due to pressure from the government.

Sergei Sokolov, the editor of the paper, said in a statement released on YouTube: “Novaya Gazeta will no longer exist.”

The newspaper says that the authorities have forced it to evacuate its office in Moscow, all of its financial resources have been cut off, and its journalists are also facing pressures and legal prosecutions. The paper is known for its critical coverage and investigative reports on political and social issues in Russia.

Dmitry Muratov, the former editor of Novaya Gazeta, in 2021, jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to defend freedom of expression in Russia. Since the newspaper was founded in 1993, several of its journalists have been killed after publishing critical reports about government officials.

After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, publication of the paper’s print edition in Russia was also halted, and the authorities blocked its website.

📷AFP via Getty Images