Russia denies visa to French journalist in tit-for-tat move
Russia has refused to extend the visa of French newspaper Le Monde's correspondent in Moscow, amid rising tensions with France.
Benjamin Quenelle, whose press accreditation required a technical extension to remain in the Russian capital, was not allowed to enter the country after his visa expiration.
Le Monde said the newspaper's ex-correspondent in Moscow was forced to leave after his press card was "canceled" by the Russian authorities. It framed Russia's decision not to extend Quenelle's visa as his "disguised expulsion."
Russian officials said earlier that they had warned French authorities of retaliation following Paris' refusal to issue French visas to many Russian journalists. During the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, French officials denied visas to many of the Russian reporters assigned to cover the games.
Moscow, they said, informed both the French foreign ministry and the head of the French diplomatic mission in Moscow that countermeasures would be taken if Paris continued to deny visas to Russian journalists planning to cover news in the country.
However, the French embassy in Russia ignored Moscow's warnings and refused to issue a work visa to Komsomolskaya Pravda international journalist Alexander Kudelya two times.
French officials refused to issue visas to Russian journalists, accusing them of being "agents of the Russian intelligence services."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharov urged French journalists, who have complaints in this regard, to direct their appeals to the French foreign ministry.
"French journalists who are brave enough ask their country officials how long they will allow Russophobe French authorities to continue to mistreat Russian journalists, Zakharov said.
"Russia gives assurance that if French visas are issued for Russian journalists, Moscow will as always do the same for French journalists."
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