Russian Foreign Ministry Condemns France’s Order to Deport Former RT Journalist

By Reuters Aug. 6, 2026 Ksenia Fedorova. Video grab / CNews Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned France's decision to deport high-profile Russian media personality Ksenia Fedorova, calling the move "unacceptable." French authorities issued a deportation order last month for Fedorova, the former head of state broadcaster RT France. Fedorova has recently emerged as a prominent commentator on conservative French outlets, including CNews, Europe 1 and JDNews. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has accused Fedorova of acting as an "agent of influence," while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez accused her of spreading Russian disinformation aimed at undermining France's "fundamental interests." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Fadyev strongly denounced the order on Thursday. "We consider the persecution of journalists on trumped-up charges to be unacceptable and strongly condemn it," Fadyev said. "The expulsion of Ksenia Fedorova, as an act of reprisal against a rebellious journalist, came as no surprise to us, as we have long been observing the actions of the French leadership, which obsessively attributes a 'Russian connection' to every problem in the country," Fadyev added. Fedorova, who has denounced the deportation order as state censorship, lost a legal challenge to block the move on Monday after a Paris court rejected her appeal. Read more about: France , Foreign Ministry , Journalists Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Moscow Summons French Ambassador Over Detention of Diplomat in Paris Russia’s Foreign Ministry said French border police briefly detained one of its employees on Sunday at Charles de Gaulle Airport. 1 Min read Russia Dismisses Claims It Ordered Paris Stars of David Graffiti "It's stupid, utter rubbish and just plain undignified," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said when asked about accusations of a Russian link... 1 Min read France Probes Suspected Poisoning of Russian Journalist Who Staged TV Protest Reporters Without Borders's secretary general Christophe Deloire said Ovsyannikova had felt unwell in the street early Thursday morning. 2 Min read opinion Vladimir Frolov How Terror Attacks Gift Russia Foreign Policy Opportunity Russia has waged a war on terror at home and abroad. But when Moscow calls for joining forces with the West to combat global terrorism, it inevitably pursues...