France orders former RT France head Xenia Fedorova to leave the country

French authorities signed an order Tuesday to expel Xenia Fedorova, the former head of Kremlin-backed RT France, from France, the Interior Ministry told POLITICO.

The Paris Prefecture of Police, which handles immigration matters for foreigners living in the French capital, issued the order, according to a report published Wednesday by Libération and confirmed by POLITICO. A document seen by Libération said that, "By spreading her narratives, [Xenia Fedorova] acts as a conduit for disinformation campaigns led by Russian authorities," with the aim of "destabilizing public order" in France.

The same document accused Fedorova of "contribut[ing] to the spread of disinformation and destabilization" to manipulate public opinion. Fedorova did not immediately reply to a request for comment, while her lawyer told Agence France-Presse that she would challenge the decision.

POLITICO reported that Fedorova is now under house arrest and banned from working on French soil. Libération reported that the lack of diplomatic ties between Paris and Moscow will make it difficult to deport her back to Russia.

Fedorova headed RT France before the outlet was shut down due to EU sanctions in 2023. She later became a regular presence on CNews, Europe 1 and Le Journal du Dimanche, all owned by French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, where POLITICO said her commentary echoed Moscow talking points on Ukraine, NATO and European security.

POLITICO said the commentary had raised concerns among lawmakers and Russian propaganda experts for months, especially ahead of France’s 2027 presidential election. Some members of the European Parliament had unsuccessfully lobbied for Fedorova to be included in EU sanctions packages against Russians, while several lawmakers in Paris had pushed for her residence permit to be revoked.