Prominent Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has officially announced that it is shutting down its operations entirely, citing severe and relentless pressure from state authorities. The editorial board released a formal statement confirming that the publication is being forced to cease all of its journalistic activities after decades of operation.

According to the editorial statement, entitled "We were killed," the Russian authorities and intelligence apparatus deliberately forced the staff into a position where continuing their work became impossible. Long regarded as a key bastion of independent reporting within the country, the newspaper had previously been designated as a "foreign agent," a legal label widely utilized to suppress dissenting voices and curtail alternative viewpoints.

Editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov announced in a video published on YouTube that the newsroom would completely shut down its servers and vacate the premises where the team had operated for thirty years. Sokolov’s recent home searches and interrogations by law enforcement officials served as the latest escalation in what media watchdogs describe as a systematic campaign to dismantle the remaining elements of free press in the country.

International press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Frontiers, have repeatedly condemned the crackdown on the publication, noting that six of its journalists and staff members have been killed over the years, while others faced prosecution and harassment. The forced closure marks a significant milestone in the ongoing suppression of independent media outlets following Moscow's military actions in Ukraine, which triggered widespread censorship and the elimination of critical journalism.

Source: www.aljazeera.com