Russian Nobel Prize-winning newspaper editor attacked on train

Dmitry Muratov, the Nobel Peace Prize–winning editor of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was attacked Thursday on a train heading from Moscow to Samara.

"They poured oil paint with acetone in the compartment," Muratov said in a report issued by the Novaya Gazeta. "My eyes are burning terribly." He also said that before the attack, the unknown assailant yelled, "Muratov, here's one for our boys!" A spokeswoman for the Novaya Gazeta said Muratov ran after the suspect and was able to take a picture of him. Muratov was not hospitalized, the spokeswoman added, and is in "satisfactory condition."

The Novaya Gazeta is known for its investigative reporting and being critical of the Russian government. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a measure banning news outlets from spreading "fake news" about the country's military, prohibiting the use of "war" and "invasion" when writing about the conflict in Ukraine. The Novaya Gazeta announced on March 28 that it is pausing operations and will start publishing content again at the end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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Earlier in March, Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, forced the newspaper to remove articles about the invasion from its website and said it couldn't publish an interview independent Russian journalists conducted with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Several Russian journalists who have been critical of Russia's invasion have reported receiving abuse, including Alexei Venediktov, editor-in-chief of the Echo of Moscow radio station. He found a severed pig's head and anti-Semitic message at his door, The Washington Post reports. The Echo of Moscow was shuttered after the Roskomnadzor took it off the air due to its coverage of the invasion of Ukraine, and the board of directors, controlled by the state-owned Gazprom, voted to end operations.