April 8 (UPI) — Russian Nobel Peace Prize-winning newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov said he was attacked with red paint as he traveled in a train car. Muratov is editor-in-chief of the independent investigative paper Novaya Gazeta.
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, Muratov was traveling by train from Moscow to Samara when an unknown person poured oil-based red paint into his train compartment.
Novaya Gazeta Europe is a new project started by newspaper staff who fled Russia after the paper stopped production last week due to the Russian government crackdown on independent journalism.
“They poured oil paint with acetone in the compartment. My eyes are burning terribly,” said Muratov on Novaya Gazeta’s Telegram channel.
As the attacker splashed the paint he shouted, “Muratov, here’s one for our boys,” Maratov said.
A spokesperson for Novaya Gazeta Europe told CNN that Muratov’s eyes “seem to be OK.”
Earlier this week, Muratov said his reporters were forced to stop publishing in Russia due to military censorship, CNN reported.
Novaya Gazeta removed much of its Ukraine War reporting from its website after a new Russian law was passed March 4 threatening 15 years in prison for media information considered “fake” by the Russian government, according to Euronews.
Gulnoza Said, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator for Committee To Protect Journalists, called on Russian authorities to investigate the attack on Muratov and bring charges against whoever was responsible.