MOSCOW, Russia: One of Russia's most influential independent newspapers, Novaya Gazeta, has closed its operations and vacated its central Moscow office after authorities increased pressure.

The newspaper said government restrictions and financial difficulties made it impossible to continue.

The newspaper announced the closure on November 9, ending a publication known for its corruption investigations and criticism of the Russian government.

Co-founder Dmitry Muratov addressed journalists who gathered to witness the newspaper's closure. He called for the protection of free speech and human rights in Russia during the war in Ukraine.

"Those in our country who advocate for peace have been denied the right to read what they choose, as we see happening today," he said.

Muratov also said constitutional guarantees of political and civil rights were no longer working effectively in the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the closure as part of a normal process in a highly competitive media environment.

Muratov and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev founded Novaya Gazeta using money from Gorbachev's 1990 Nobel Peace Prize.

Inspired by Gorbachev's policy of glasnost, which promoted openness, the newspaper became a major supporter of democracy and independent journalism in Russia.

It earned a reputation for fearless reporting, especially its investigations into corruption and its critical coverage of politics. Six of its journalists were murdered over the years.

After President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia introduced strict censorship laws. Novaya Gazeta stopped printing its newspaper but continued publishing online, providing a platform for independent journalists who remained in the country.

However, the publication announced late last month that it could no longer continue operating. Russian authorities had labeled it a foreign agent and ordered it to leave its offices.

Banks also stopped processing donations from readers, an important source of funding for the newspaper.

Muratov, who shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, said the Kremlin was responsible for starting the war and restricting freedom of expression. He warned against blaming ordinary Russians for the government's actions.

"We cannot blame the citizens themselves for this - especially the wonderful, truly remarkable younger generation. I urge you to distinguish between the Russian authorities and the Russian people," he said.

He also called for a broader ceasefire in Ukraine, following a six-day truce in one area arranged by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump in late October.

Muratov urged Russian authorities to release around 4,000 people whom he described as political prisoners.

The Kremlin has defended its censorship laws, saying they are necessary during wartime to deal with people involved in activities against the state. It denies holding political prisoners.

It remains unclear whether Novaya Gazeta will try to restart under a different name or in another format.

In an article published on its website describing the newspaper's final weeks, journalist Irina Vorobyova expressed confidence that its values would survive despite the closure.

"Not even a nuclear explosion could destroy it. It will continue in everyone who was part of it," she said.