{
  "id": 17215007,
  "title": "Russia: Critical newspaper 'Novaya Gazeta' to close",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/russia-critical-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-to-close",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T11:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/russia-critical-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-to-close/a-79805693?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The once-prominent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has announced plans to cease operations following intense pressure from state authorities. In a statement released on Friday, the paper's editor-in-chief, Sergei Sokolov, declared that the organization would be shutting down after a 30-year tenure. The Russian special services have forced the editorial team to cease its work, Sokolov added in a video message.\n\nFounded in 1993, Novaya Gazeta was one of the few independent media outlets in Russia, known for its critical reporting on corruption and political issues. However, the outlet has faced increasing censorship and repression since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many independent journalists have been forced into exile, while those remaining in Russia have been labeled as \"foreign agents\" and subjected to numerous restrictions.\n\nEditor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov, a recipient of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, dedicated his prize to colleagues who were killed for their work, including Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in 2006. The newspaper expressed the end of 30 years of life together with their country and citizens, stating that the closure reflects the state of modern Russia under President Putin.\n\nThe announcement comes two weeks after Sokolov was questioned by investigators over the alleged unlawful use of personal data in a case against a colleague, Oleg Roldugin. Roldugin has pleaded not guilty to charges of obtaining unlawful access to computerized information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. International media rights groups have condemned the targeting of Novaya Gazeta, urging the Kremlin to end judicial harassment of its journalists.",
  "summary": "\"Novaya Gazeta,\" one of the last remaining independent, critical media outlets in Russia, has announced it is closing under pressure from state authorities. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, evacuations have begun in Oleshky.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "Russia's bastion of free press Novaya Gazeta shuts down under Kremlin pressure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/russias-bastion-of-free-press-novaya-gazeta-shuts-down-under-kremlin",
        "published": "2026-10-30T08:42:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta announces its closure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/independent-russian-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-announces-its-closure",
        "published": "2026-10-30T09:11:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "‘They killed us’: Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta announces its closure after decades of repression",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/they-killed-us-russian-independent-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-announces",
        "published": "2026-10-30T09:45:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Post",
        "title": "Independent Russian Newspaper Novaya Gazeta Shuts Under Kremlin Pressure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/independent-russian-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-shuts-under-kremlin",
        "published": "2026-10-30T10:18:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "Russia's last free newspaper 'Novaya Gazeta' closes as press freedom faces its swan song",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/russias-last-free-newspaper-novaya-gazeta-closes-as-press-freedom",
        "published": "2026-10-30T10:25:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Leading independent Russian newspaper shuts down, says Kremlin pressure ‘killed’ it",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/leading-independent-russian-newspaper-shuts-down-says-kremlin",
        "published": "2026-10-30T10:33:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}