The paper said that over time six journalists connected with the paper were killed for "fulfilling their professional and civic duty." Those reporters include Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot dead in the stairwell of her apartment block 20 years ago this month. Among the subjects she had reported on were the wars in Chechnya.

In the statement announcing its closure, Novaya Gazeta launched a stinging attack on the Russian authorities, claiming the newspaper was the victim of a "coordinated act" and blaming "the repressive state apparatus".

"Human rights and freedoms have been eliminated in the country and their protection has been equated to a crime," the statement said.

"The courts have been destroyed along with the law.…