Thursday, July 30, 2026 - France has ordered Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova to leave the country, accusing her of acting as a conduit for Kremlin-backed disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising public order and undermining confidence in French and European institutions.
The French Interior Ministry confirmed the expulsion order
on Wednesday, July 29. A source close to the case said Fedorova has since been
placed under house arrest and is required to report daily to a police station
while awaiting further legal proceedings.
Fedorova, the former head of the French branch of Russian
state broadcaster RT, currently works for media outlets owned by French
billionaire Vincent Bolloré, including CNews television, Europe 1 radio and Le
Journal du Dimanche newspaper.
French authorities allege that she has consistently promoted
Kremlin narratives on Russia's war in Ukraine and broader relations between
Russia and the West. According to the expulsion order, cited by French media,
Fedorova acted "as a conduit for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by
the Russian authorities" with the aim of "destabilising public
order" and "manipulating public opinion." The order further
accuses her of seeking to undermine public trust in French and European
democratic institutions.
The decision comes as France prepares for its 2027
presidential election, with disinformation experts warning about the growing
influence of foreign-backed narratives in the country's media landscape.
Fedorova's employers condemned the government's decision, describing it as a
serious violation of freedom of expression.
In a joint statement, Canal+, which owns CNews, and
Lagardère, the parent company of Europe 1, said freedom of expression must
extend to opinions that are controversial or unpopular, provided they remain
part of democratic debate.
"Freedom of expression is not defended only when the
opinions expressed are widely shared. It is defended precisely when those
opinions disturb or provoke disagreement," the companies said.
Fedorova's lawyer, Emmanuel Piwnica, said his client would
immediately appeal the expulsion order, insisting she is a journalist who has
always carried out her work professionally. "This decision is a serious
infringement of the freedom of expression of a journalist," Piwnica said.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously questioned
Fedorova's role as a journalist. In 2017, he said media outlets spreading
"defamatory falsehoods" should be regarded as "instruments of
influence" rather than journalists. Asked about Fedorova in June, Macron
said his views had not changed.
Although French officials have long expressed concern over
Fedorova's editorial positions, authorities renewed her residence permit for
another 10 years in 2024. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in May that
giving her a platform amounted to "doing Vladimir Putin's bidding."
Members of the Renew group in the European Parliament have
also called on the European Union to impose sanctions on Fedorova, describing
her as a Russian propagandist. Fedorova has rejected such characterisations. In
her 2025 book, Bannie ("Banned"), she portrays herself as a victim of
state censorship following the closure of RT France after Russia's invasion of
Ukraine in 2022.
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