In 2000s the Russian government increased its control over independent TV companies, and applied political and economic pressure to discourage them from criticizing the government and its policies. In 2001 Gazprom took ownership of the private TV company NTV, which aired several gritty programs. The satirical show "Puppets", which mocked major politicians and celebrities, was terminated in 2002 after pressure from the Kremlin. In January 2002 another independent TV company TV-6 was terminated. In 2014, TV Rain was heavily criticized for asking viewers whether Leningrad should have been surrendered to the invading Nazi army in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives (since Hitler did not offer surrender as an option, only death). After that, the largest Russian TV providers stopped carrying the channel. Ultimately, left without money from broadcasters and advertisers, TV Rain was forced to move its studio to a private apartment. Contemporary independent TV broadcasters stick mostly to unoffensive soap operas and talk shows, leaving the political programming to government-owned channels.