Key facts
- The EU sanctioned Xenia Fedorova for spreading pro-Russian narratives and supporting Russia's hybrid war on Europe.
- Fedorova ran RT France until it was shut down by EU sanctions.
- She has continued to disseminate Russian-aligned narratives in French media.
- Fedorova's assets in Europe will be frozen.
- EU citizens and companies are forbidden from providing funds or economic resources to Fedorova.
- French authorities issued a deportation order against Fedorova in July, citing a threat to public order.
The European Union has agreed to sanction Xenia Fedorova, the former head of the Kremlin media outlet RT France, for spreading pro-Russian narratives and supporting Moscow's hybrid war on Europe. The sanctions, agreed upon on September 24, will result in Fedorova's assets in Europe being frozen, and EU citizens and companies will be prohibited from making any funds or economic resources available to her.
Fedorova led RT France from 2017 until its closure due to EU sanctions. According to an EU press release, she has since continued to disseminate narratives aligned with Russian authorities through French media outlets such as CNews, Europe 1, and Le JDNews. The EU's official sanctions listing details that Fedorova has portrayed European support for Ukraine as prolonging the war, presented Russia as seeking peace with a confrontational Europe, cast doubt on Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, and depicted European and NATO policies as threats to European security.
French authorities have also stated that Fedorova's conduct undermines the fundamental interests of the state, and her continued presence in France constitutes a serious and immediate threat to public order, as noted in a July deportation order. The EU views foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) by propagandists like Fedorova as a significant concern, particularly as Russia intensifies its hybrid warfare tactics against Europe. In addition to the 101 actors already sanctioned for FIMI efforts, the EU has partnered with Ukraine to analyze Russia's disinformation campaigns and established a Hybrid Rapid Response Team to assist third countries in countering FIMI. A Center for Democratic Resilience is also being set up to safeguard democracy within the EU.
Concerns about FIMI are particularly high leading up to 2027, a year when several EU countries, including France, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Greece, are scheduled to hold elections. The campaign for France's presidential election, set for April 18, 2027, is already underway, with candidates making support for Ukraine a central issue.