Novaya Gazeta Vacates Moscow Offices After 33 Years
The independent newspaper cited official pressure and the seizure of its printing house as reasons for closing its physical location in the Russian capital.
By Yuki Melnyk ·
Novaya Gazeta closed its Moscow offices on Monday, ending three decades of physical presence in the Russian capital.
The outlet stated that government officials and security services compelled its editorial team to stop operations. In a statement dated Oct. 30, the paper described the domestic political climate as one where human rights were abolished and defending them was treated as a crime. The publication noted that elected governing bodies were effectively dismantled and civil society institutions were wiped out.
Founded in 1993, the newspaper became known for investigating Russian human rights abuses and corruption. Six journalists associated with the paper have been killed. Among them was Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot in her apartment building in 2006 while reporting on the second Chechen War. The outlet was the last major independent media organization critical of the Kremlin to remain active inside Russia. Other critical outlets closed or moved abroad after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Tatiana Britskaya, the editor of the investigations desk, said she expected the closure almost daily for the past four and a half years. She described the decision as difficult because the office served as a home for the staff. "It is an incredibly difficult decision, because this is more than a workplace, more than an office, this is our home, and we're losing it," Britskaya said.
Dmitry Muratov, the longtime editor-in-chief, stepped down in 2023 after Russian authorities named him a foreign agent. He shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize with Maria Ressa. In 2022, Muratov was attacked on a train when an assailant poured red paint on him, causing severe eye irritation. The newspaper faced financial and legal penalties, including fines for discrediting the armed forces. Authorities also seized its printing house, blocked its online platforms, and shut down its reader donation system.
Sergei Sokolov, the current editor-in-chief, told reporters that the paper would return with renewed strength. "We will live, and I am sure that this country, caught in such a terrible era, will eventually stir," he said. He added that the newspaper would return to its readers and colleagues when the first signs of change appear.
As staff left the building, a new sign was placed over the nameplate. The sign read, "Here lived Novaya Gazeta." Some staff members left Russia in 2022 to launch Novaya Gazeta Europe, which continues to publish critical coverage of the Kremlin.
