Despite being expelled from French territory and accused as a tool of Moscow’s propaganda, Xenia Fedorova, former head of Russian state network Russia Today, will continue to be broadcast on French screens as an analyst. Her return comes through an agreement with the station CNews, owned by magnate Vincent Bolloré.
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To circumvent the physical ban on entering the country, Fedorova will connect to the studio via videoconference, a move that allows her to continue expressing her views despite the measures of French authorities.
The government in Paris has received this development with concern. The head of French diplomacy, Jean-Noël Barrot, expressed being “extremely surprised” and “saddened” that powerful media conglomerates are offering platforms to a person who, according to him, was rightfully removed from France.
The Foreign Minister described Fedorova as a “Kremlin propaganda agent” and recalled that the expulsion decision came as a result of her involvement in disinformation operations directed by Russia, aimed at undermining public order in France.
The order for her removal was signed at the end of July, after a long period of fierce debates over her supportive stances for Vladimir Putin’s regime. Alongside the expulsion, the French state also imposed a temporary freezing of her accounts and assets for a six-month period.
However, physical absence does not constitute a legal obstacle for remote participation in television programs. CNews moderator Gauthier Le Bret has confirmed that the former head of Russia Today will again be present via a video link to give her comments.
This return of Fedorova to a media controlled by Bolloré has ignited concerns in France regarding the influence of pro-Kremlin voices in the public sphere, especially on the eve of the 2027 presidential race.
Minister Barrot raised the question: “Why open studios, make available newspaper space, and give precious minutes to someone who has been proven to work for Russia against the interests of France and the European Union?”
