Russia’s security services raided Eksmo‑AST, one of the country’s largest publishing houses, detaining senior executives for three days. The move follows earlier seizures of dissenting titles and police raids on bookshops. Eksmo had previously complied with state demands, cutting books and printing patriotic “Z” titles, yet the crackdown intensified after the 2022 invasion for war.

Since February 2022, Moscow has tightened wartime censorship, labeling foreign‑agent authors and queer literature as extremist. Publishers like Eksmo have been forced to black‑out pages, pull titles such as ‘Pioneer Summer’, and even close subsidiaries like Popcorn Books. The recent raid signals a new phase that could cripple Russia’s already shrinking book market for investors.

Executives were released without charges but must remain available for further inquiry, a condition that underscores the regime’s intent to keep the publishing sector compliant. Analysts warn that the raid may trigger a wave of self‑censorship, driving authors abroad and shrinking domestic sales, which could hurt ancillary businesses such as book retailers, distributors, and literary festivals today.

With the Kremlin’s legal apparatus broadening its reach—most recently targeting children’s author Grigoriy Oster—market participants face increasing uncertainty. Publishers already losing titles under new “LGBT propaganda” rulings may see further losses as state reviews expand. The crackdown signals that Russia’s book industry will likely contract, impacting revenue streams for authors, distributors, and related cultural enterprises in 2024.