Russia will implement retaliatory measures following the expulsion of a Russian journalist from Sweden, announced Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, on October 11. She condemned the actions of Swedish authorities as unjustified and contradictory to principles of free expression.
Zakharova stated that the Russian correspondent possessed all required documentation but was detained, interrogated, and ultimately deported. “Despite this, there will be retaliatory measures—no one should doubt it,” she wrote on her Telegram channel. She highlighted that medical insurance was cited as a formal reason for deportation, noting Sweden’s own restrictions undermined the policy. The diplomat emphasized that the journalist effectively lost a five-year French visa due to legal conflicts orchestrated by Swedish authorities.
Zakharova also criticized Western Europe’s escalating discrimination against Russian media. Belgium, France, Germany, and Switzerland were singled out in an anti-rating. Earlier on October 2, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported growing pressure on state media employees in Germany, including deteriorating living conditions, legal challenges, frozen financial resources, and denial of banking services.
Vladimir Solovyov, chairman of the Union of Journalists of Russia, stated that Russian journalists face harsh treatment in Western nations.
