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Russian Authorities Raid Major Publisher Eksmo in LGBTQ+ Content Investigation
Russian police conducted a raid on Eksmo, the country’s leading publishing house, on Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged violations of Russia’s laws against LGBTQ+ “propaganda” and “extremism,” according to multiple reports.
While initial accounts suggested thousands of books were confiscated during the operation, Eksmo issued a statement to Reuters on Wednesday denying any seizures. The company did confirm that its general director Yevgeny Kapyev and three other employees were taken in for questioning by authorities. Russian news agency Interfax has since verified that Kapyev has been detained.
Yekaterina Kozhanova, Eksmo’s communications director, told AFP News that among those questioned were the company’s deputy commercial director and head of distribution, highlighting the high-level nature of the investigation.
The publishing giant clarified that the raid stems from its 2023 acquisition of Popcorn Books, a smaller publishing house that was forced to shut down in January 2026 after being targeted by Russian authorities for allegedly promoting LGBTQ+ content to minors.
“The criminal case was opened in May 2025 and concerned several titles with characteristics of LGBT propaganda, published by Popcorn Books prior to its merger with Eksmo,” the company explained in its statement to Reuters.
Popcorn Books, established in Moscow in 2018, had positioned itself as a publisher for adult readers, explicitly stating on its website that its content was intended for those 18 and older. The publisher specialized in what it described as “exciting fiction for young adults and adults that touches on topics which are still regarded as controversial in today’s Russia,” including works featuring queer characters, self-identification, and mental health issues.
The raid represents the latest escalation in Russia’s increasingly severe crackdown on LGBTQ+ expression. In 2013, the government implemented legislation banning LGBTQ+ “propaganda” in the presence of minors. President Vladimir Putin significantly expanded these restrictions in late 2022 with a law effectively criminalizing any public expression of LGBTQ+ identity or support. The legal environment grew even more hostile in 2023 when Russia’s Supreme Court officially designated the “international LGBT social movement” as an “extremist organization.”
This week’s action follows a pattern of increasing pressure on Eksmo. In May of last year, the company’s distribution director Anatoly Norovyatkin was detained along with ten others associated with the publisher. During that operation, officials seized books from Popcorn and accused the detainees of disseminating prohibited LGBTQ+ content.
The legal consequences have been severe for those implicated. Three Popcorn Books managers were placed under house arrest during their trials. In a separate case, three Eksmo employees were charged with using their official positions to organize extremist activity through the publication and sale of LGBTQ+ content. One individual, Dmitry Protopopov, the executive director of Individual Print publishing house, received the grave designation of being labeled a terrorist.
According to reporting by Novaya Gazeta Europe, Eksmo responded to Tuesday’s raid by distributing a list to bookstores of titles that should be removed from shelves immediately. The publication also cited sources suggesting that beyond ideological motivations, Russian authorities may have an ulterior motive of gaining control over Eksmo’s valuable publishing assets.
The raid on Eksmo represents a significant escalation in Russia’s cultural crackdown and signals growing government willingness to target major businesses in its campaign against LGBTQ+ visibility. For Russia’s publishing industry, already operating under increasingly restrictive conditions, the action against the country’s largest publishing house sends a chilling message about the boundaries of permissible content in Putin’s Russia.
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4 Comments
This is a concerning development, as it appears to be another attempt by Russian authorities to censor and restrict LGBTQ+ content. I hope Eksmo is able to challenge this investigation and defend its right to publish a diverse range of materials.
It’s disheartening to see Russia further tightening its grip on free media and LGBTQ+ rights. This raid on a major publisher appears to be another attempt to control the narrative and limit diversity of thought. Concerning developments.
Raids on publishers over alleged LGBTQ+ ‘propaganda’ are deeply troubling and indicate the Russian government’s continued crackdown on free expression and diversity. This is a worrying trend that deserves close scrutiny.
While I understand the need to protect minors, these types of broad restrictions on LGBTQ+ content seem more like political censorship than genuine concern for children. I hope Eksmo can continue to operate without undue interference.