Russia condemns France's expulsion of pro-Kremlin journalist Xenia Fedorova as 'political persecution'

Expulsion order and Russian response

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez ordered the expulsion of 45-year-old Russian journalist Xenia Fedorova on July 29, accusing her of acting as a conduit for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by Russian authorities and designed to destabilise public order in France. Her assets were also frozen. Eight days later, on August 6, Moscow responded sharply. Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev told a press conference that Russia considered the expulsion unacceptable and condemned it firmly as political persecution of journalists based on fabricated accusations. He also said Russia expected condemnation from the United Nations, including UNESCO, as well as from journalist and human rights organisations over what he called a brazen act of pressure.

Fadeev accused French authorities of branding any dissenting view as Russian propaganda and attempting to force out journalists and media whose positions did not conform with the official line. He criticised what he described as the French leadership's persistent, obsessive efforts to attribute a Russian origin to every domestic problem.

Such actions are incompatible with France's rhetoric regarding its commitment to the principles of freedom of expression.

Fedorova's media career and the Bolloré connection

Fedorova previously headed the French branch of the Russian state broadcaster Russia Today (RT), whose programmes have been banned across the European Union since March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. After RT's closure in France, she became a commentator on several outlets owned by conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré, including CNews, Canal+ and Lagardère. Born in the Russian city of Kazan, she reportedly attended MGIMO, a Moscow international relations school, and was described as close to Kremlin propagandist Margarita Simonyan. She was propelled to the head of RT France despite an absence of formal journalism training, according to Le Monde.

Her growing prominence on Bolloré-owned media had raised concerns over possible attempts to manipulate public debate, particularly ahead of the 2027 French presidential election. Centrist Euro MPs had called for European sanctions against her. Her current employers, Canal+ and Lagardère, defended her and denounced what they called a particularly serious violation of freedom of expression.

Legal challenge and departure from France

On August 3, the Paris administrative tribunal rejected Fedorova's urgent appeal against the expulsion. She had already left France by that point and announced she would not return until the measures were suspended or withdrawn. The expulsion therefore required no physical removal.

Fedorova defended herself in a statement attributed to her on X, formerly Twitter, saying she had lived in France for nearly ten years in compliance with the law, paid her taxes, and expressed opinions as part of her work as a journalist. The original post no longer appears visible on her public profile. She had also previously lived in Germany, where she was already banned from entering.

Press freedom context

Reporters Without Borders ranks France 25th in its global press freedom index, compared with 172nd for Russia. The case has drawn attention to the distinction between legally defending Kremlin positions and participating in an influence strategy directed from Moscow, a line French authorities say Fedorova crossed.