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Meduza’s editorial team and a long list of journalists and media organizations published a statement supporting Novaya Gazeta after the newspaper announced it was shutting down. The signatories praised its reporting and urged that its work continue, but the statement does not explain the shutdown’s circumstances or set out a plan for the paper’s future.
Meduza’s editorial team and dozens of journalists and media organizations have issued a public statement in support of Novaya Gazeta, after the newspaper announced it was shutting down. The signatories praised its journalism and said they would continue its work, while the circumstances and practical effects of the closure remain unspecified in the statement.
The statement, published by Meduza on October 30, 2026, opens by acknowledging Novaya Gazeta’s shutdown announcement. Its authors describe the newspaper as a major independent Russian news outlet and point to its investigative reporting, awards and journalists who were murdered. Those descriptions are the signatories’ assessment of the paper’s legacy, rather than details about the closure itself.
Meduza’s editors say they admire Novaya’s “loyalty to the profession” and thank its staff for their work. The statement promises to continue that work “for as long as we can,” but does not specify what that commitment will involve or identify projects, staffing arrangements or publication plans.
The statement is signed by Meduza’s editorial team and a lengthy list of journalists, editors, media outlets and organizations. Those named include representatives of The Bell, Mediazona, DOXA, Holod, Verstka, iStories, The Moscow Times, OVD-Info and other publications and groups. The source labels the list as being updated, so the published signatories may change.
A Public Show of Media Solidarity
The statement makes the shutdown a moment of public solidarity across a broad group of journalists and media organizations. Its signatories frame Novaya Gazeta’s departure not only as a change affecting one newspaper, but as a loss to independent journalism in Russia. That framing is their stated view; the announcement and statement alone do not establish the wider effects of the closure.
The commitment to continue Novaya’s work is also significant because it signals an intention to preserve its journalistic legacy beyond the paper itself. However, the statement offers no operational details: it does not say whether staff, reporting, archives or the publication’s name will be carried into another project. Readers should distinguish the expression of support from a confirmed continuation plan.
The signatory list gives the message a collective character, with journalists and organizations from different outlets lending their names. It does not, by itself, indicate that every signatory shares the same view on the reasons for the shutdown or has agreed to take part in future work.
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Novaya’s Reported Place in Russian Media
Meduza’s statement characterizes Novaya Gazeta as an unusually important independent outlet in modern Russian history. It cites the paper’s investigative work, its awards, the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to editor Dmitry Muratov, and the murder of journalists associated with the newspaper. These points are presented as part of the signatories’ tribute, not as a detailed account of the paper’s history.
The statement also says Novaya was the only major independent outlet that continued operating inside Russia after 2022, despite what the authors describe as wartime censorship and political pressure. That is a claim made in the statement; the source material does not provide a comparison of other outlets or further evidence for the characterization. The immediate sequence established here is that Novaya announced it was shutting down and Meduza and fellow journalists responded with support.
Closure Details Remain Unspecified
The source material does not explain why Novaya Gazeta is shutting down, when the closure takes effect, or whether it applies to the entire publication or particular operations. It also provides no statement from Novaya’s management or editors detailing the decision. Those details cannot be established from the supportive statement.
It remains unclear what will happen to the newspaper’s staff, its reporting projects, its archive and its publishing platforms. Meduza’s promise to continue Novaya’s work is not accompanied by a timetable, named successor project or description of resources. The signatory list is marked as being updated, so its final size and membership are also not settled in the source.
Further Details From Novaya Needed
The next information needed is a fuller account from Novaya Gazeta about the shutdown: its timing, scope and reasons, along with any plans for its staff and ongoing work. The statement from Meduza and fellow journalists does not give a date for further announcements or identify a next step.
Readers can also watch for updates to the signatory list and for any concrete projects connected to the promise to continue Novaya’s work. Until those details are made public, the confirmed development is the newspaper’s shutdown announcement and the public statement of support in response.
Key Questions
What happened to Novaya Gazeta?
Novaya Gazeta announced it was shutting down. The source material does not specify the closure date, scope or reason.
Who issued the statement of support?
The statement was issued by Meduza’s editorial team and signed by a long list of journalists, media organizations and other groups. The source says the list is being updated.
What did the signatories promise?
They said they would continue Novaya Gazeta’s work “for as long as we can.” They did not describe a specific project, schedule or organizational plan.
Why do the signatories say Novaya Gazeta matters?
They point to its investigative reporting, awards and journalists who were murdered, and describe it as a significant independent outlet in Russian media. These are the signatories’ characterizations.
What is still unknown about the shutdown?
The source does not explain the decision’s reasons or timing, or what will happen to the newspaper’s staff, reporting, archive or publishing operations.
Source: meduza.io
