France has ordered the expulsion of Xenia Fedorova, the former head of Russia Today France, accusing the Russian journalist of spreading Kremlin propaganda on French television and radio, including on channels owned by the Bolloré group, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
Since being notified of the ministerial order on Wednesday, Fedorova has been placed under house arrest, according to a source close to the case.
She is required to report daily to a police station.
Her lawyer Emmanuel Piwnica said his client would immediately appeal the order.
"Xenia Fedorova is a journalist," he said. "This decision is a serious infringement of the freedom of expression of a journalist who has always carried out her work in the most proper manner possible."
The Russian media personality regularly appears on the CNews television channel, Europe 1 radio and writes a column for weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), on Kremlin talking points about Ukraine and the West.
The former head of Russia Today (RT) France has been living and working in France for 10 years.
Disinformation experts have raised the alarm about the influence of Fedorova as France heads for a presidential election next year.
French newspaper Libération reported that the expulsion order accused her of acting "as a conduit for disinformation campaigns orchestrated by the Russian authorities" with the aim of "destabilising public order" in France and "undermining the trust of European citizens, and in particular French citizens, in their institutions".
RT France was shut down in 2023, a year after President Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
But Fedorova remained, securing a role as a commentator for outlets within conservative billionaire Vincent Bolloré's media empire.
In a joint statement, Canal+, owner of the CNews television channel, and Lagardère, which owns Europe 1 radio, said diversity of opinion was important for democratic debate.
"Freedom of expression is not defended only when the opinions expressed are widely shared," they said. "It is defended precisely when those opinions disturb or provoke disagreement, provided that they form part of democratic debate, as is the case across all of our media outlets."
But many critics and media experts say that, while there is no evidence of any links between Fedorova and the Kremlin, she should be regarded as an agent of influence.
Elsewhere in Europe, Fedorova is banned from entering Germany, a source close to the matter told French news agency AFP.
(AFP)
