Novaya Gazeta closes after pressure from Russian authorities

On Friday, Novaya Gazeta announced it was closing, citing pressure from authorities who searched the home of editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov and detained journalist Oleg Roldugin earlier this year. Sokolov said Russian special services forced the team to end its work and that the paper will shut down on November 9. The outlet, classed as a foreign agent, was one of the last bastions of independent journalism in Russia.

Novaya Gazeta closed its Moscow offices on November 9, citing relentless pressure from government officials and security services. The outlet, described as Russia's last major independent media source critical of the Kremlin, said human rights and freedoms had been abolished in the country. Six of its journalists have been killed, including Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot in 2006.