Overview
- The independent YA publisher announced its closure in a farewell message on Telegram, thanking authors, partners, and readers.
- Authorities in May 2025 opened what was described as Russia’s first publishing-related case over alleged “LGBT extremism,” citing ten Popcorn Books titles.
- Law enforcement searched Exmo and seized materials linked to the catalog, and Exmo confirmed it sent trading partners a list of books to withdraw from sale.
- Three employees — Dmitry Protopopov, Pavel Ivanov, and Artem Vakhlyaev — were charged and placed under house arrest, with the case not yet forwarded to court.
- Founded in 2018 and majority-owned by Exmo since August 2023, the publisher specialized in young-adult works on identity, racism, sexism, and body issues.