EU sanctions Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova following expulsion from France
The European Union has frozen the assets of Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova and banned her from traveling within the bloc, following her deportation from France in August over foreign interference allegations.
European Union sanctions listing
On 24 September 2026, the European Union published a formal notice in the Official Journal of the European Union imposing restrictive measures against Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova. The sanctions package subjects the 45-year-old media personality to an asset freeze across all 27 member states and bans her from entering or transiting through the territory of the European Union. The decision adds Fedorova to the European Union list targeting individuals involved in hybrid threats, foreign interference, and information manipulation.
The measure was adopted two days after the European Council removed two Russian oligarchs from its sanctions list. In its official listing document, the European Union stated its grounds for sanctioning the former media executive in connection with Moscow's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Fedorova is a Russian media figure and former senior executive of Russia Today (RT) France who is active in the dissemination of pro-Russian narratives in France and the Union in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
French deportation proceedings
The European Union sanctions follow legal proceedings conducted in France, where authorities moved to remove Fedorova over allegations that she acted as a Kremlin agent. In August 2026, French authorities formally expelled Fedorova after she lost an appeal against a court ruling that mandated her deportation for spreading pro-Kremlin narratives. The French government had already barred her from entering national territory prior to the broader European decision.
Fedorova denied the allegations brought by French investigators and judges, describing the proceedings and accusations as censorship. She stated publicly that she was outside France on holiday when the deportation order took legal effect.
France, like the European Union, will continue to thwart Russia's destabilising activities on our soil. We are fully determined: those who think they can carry out hostile actions against our democracy with impunity will face the consequences.
Media operations and background
Before her expulsion and subsequent blacklisting, Fedorova served as the president and senior executive of RT France, the local subsidiary of the Russian state broadcaster. French and European regulators banned the television channel in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, shutting down its broadcast operations in the country.
Following the shutdown of RT France, Fedorova remained active in the French public sphere. She took up commentator roles within media outlets owned by French billionaire Vincent Bolloré. Her media appearances included commentary work for the television channel CNews, an outlet described by France 24 as France's answer to Fox News.
- French authorities ban RT France following Russia's invasion of Ukraine
- France formally expels Xenia Fedorova following a lost court appeal
- European Council removes two Russian oligarchs from its sanctions list
- European Union publishes sanctions notice freezing Fedorova's assets and imposing a travel ban
Enforcement and scope of restrictions
Under the newly enacted European framework, European Union financial institutions must immediately identify and block any financial assets, bank accounts, or economic resources linked to Fedorova within their jurisdiction. The travel restriction prevents her from crossing any border of the 27 member nations, extending the French entry ban across the entire bloc. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot affirmed that both France and the European Union intend to maintain these legal instruments to counter coordinated foreign influence operations.
