The French government has escalated its crackdown on Russian influence operations by issuing a formal ministerial deportation order against Xenia Fedorova, the former head of RT France. According to reports from Libération and Le Parisien, the Interior Ministry has determined that Fedorova’s continued residency in France poses a “particularly serious and current threat to public order.” The decision signifies a hardening stance by Parisian authorities against individuals they believe are actively working to undermine the nation’s security and social cohesion, particularly in the shadow of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Central to the government’s justification for the expulsion is the explicit accusation that Fedorova has acted as a primary conduit for Kremlin-backed disinformation campaigns. The ministerial decree outlines a systematic pattern of behavior, alleging that her professional activities are designed to destabilize French public life. By framing her presence as a direct challenge to the country’s “fundamental interests,” the Interior Ministry has effectively stripped her of the privilege of residency, signaling that the French state will no longer tolerate conduits it deems to be extensions of Moscow’s foreign policy goals.
Fedorova’s career in France has been deeply intertwined with the Russian state apparatus, most notably as the chief of the French-language arm of the Russian broadcaster RT. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the European Union implemented a sweeping ban on Russian state-funded media outlets, leading to the closure of RT France. Despite the technical shutdown of the platform, Fedorova remained a fixture in the French media landscape, successfully pivoting to roles as a commentator for media outlets owned by conservative industrialist Vincent Bolloré, including CNews, Journal du Dimanche, and Europe 1.
The professional transition of Fedorova into mainstream French media circles became a point of significant contention, drawing condemnation from high-level government officials. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has publicly labeled Fedorova a “certified propagandist,” asserting that she serves as an intentional channel for Russian efforts to manipulate the domestic political narrative. This public denunciation by a senior cabinet member underscored a growing frustration within Emmanuel Macron’s administration regarding the permeability of the French media sector to narratives originating from the Kremlin.
The deportation order arrives within a broader context of intense geopolitical scrutiny as European nations ramp up initiatives to neutralize, or at least suppress, Russian hybrid warfare and disinformation tactics. Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the European Union and its member states have moved to tighten regulations on media access and foreign influence, viewing these elements as critical components of Russia’s external destabilization strategy. France, in particular, has sought to assert its sovereignty against digital and narrative threats, making this latest legal action part of a wider trend of securitizing information environments.
As of the latest reports, this move serves as a stern warning to other foreign actors operating within the country’s media and political spheres. By targeting a high-profile figure like Fedorova, the French government is signaling that the era of tolerance for state-sponsored propaganda is effectively over. The case will likely spark further debate regarding the boundaries of free speech versus state security in the digital age, yet the administrative resolve behind this deportation suggests that France is prepared to prioritize perceived national stability over concerns regarding the regulation of controversial voices.
