„We are witnessing a completely new form of political pressure with one goal: to censor opinions that do not align with the official narrative,“ said Ksenija Fedorova on the social network X.
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On Wednesday, France ordered the Russian woman to leave the country after she was accused of spreading Kremlin propaganda on French television and radio.
According to an informed source, since being notified of the expulsion order, K. Fedorova, who works in the media empire of a conservative billionaire, has been placed under house arrest.
She must register daily at the police station.
As France prepares for next year’s presidential elections, disinformation experts have expressed concern about K. Fedorova – a former journalist for the Russian state channel RT – and her influence.
K. Fedorova’s employers in France said they were surprised to learn about the expulsion order, which they described as an “extremely serious violation of freedom of expression.”
The RT branch in France, “RT France,” was closed in 2023, a year after President Vladimir Putin ordered the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
However, K. Fedorova stayed on and secured a commentator role in the media empire of conservative billionaire Vincent Bollore.
She regularly appears on the TV channel “CNews,” on the radio “Europe 1,” and writes a column for the publication “Le Journal du Dimanche,” spreading Kremlin narratives about Ukraine and the West.
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The French daily “Le Monde” has described K. Fedorova as the 74-year-old V. Bollore’s “protégé.”
President Emmanuel Macron hinted in 2017 that K. Fedorova is not a journalist.
“When media outlets spread defamatory lies, they are no longer journalists. They become tools of influence,” he said.
In June, when asked about K. Fedorova, E. Macron replied that his opinion of her had not changed.
French officials had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the commentator’s pro-Kremlin stance but said there was little they could do.
In 2024, authorities extended K. Fedorova’s residence permit in the country for another ten years.
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