Russia expelled two German journalists in a retaliatory move, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
The ministry said it revoked the accreditation of two employees of the German ARD broadcaster and ordered them to leave the country. The ministry described the move as a retaliation to German authorities' targeting of two Russian journalists from Channel One, a state-controlled TV channel.
"In response to the German authorities' ban on the stay and work of Channel One correspondents, we are compelled to take reciprocal measures against journalists working for the Moscow office of the German ARD media group," Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, said in a briefing in Moscow.
She added: "In retaliation for Berlin's unfriendly actions against Russian correspondents, German journalists have been instructed to surrender their accreditation and leave Russia."
Zakharova said that the ministry may issue accreditation to other ARD employees if German authorities allow journalists from Channel One to work in Berlin.
Germany Denies Shutting Down Channel One Office
German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner denied claims from Channel One that the German government shut down its office.
"The federal government has not closed the office of this broadcaster," Wagner said at a news conference. "Russian journalists can report freely and unhindered in Germany."
Wagner said, "I can only surmise that this has to do with questions of residence status," adding that such issues are dealt with by state authorities rather than federal authorities.
Commenting on Russia's decision to revoke ARD employees in Moscow of their accreditation, Wagner said, "If this report is true, then we would, of course, condemn it in the strongest terms."
What Happened to Russian Journalists in Berlin?
Berlin's state immigration office said last Friday it refused residence permits for the head of Channel One's bureau and for a cameraman with the Russian broadcaster. The immigration office said its decision could be appealed.
The move follows decisions to refuse German residency for a Brazilian citizen working for Ruptly, a Russian state-owned video news agency, and for the head of Rossiya Segodnya, a Russian-controlled news agency, and his wife.
Sanctions on Channel One
Channel One has been sanctioned by the European Union (EU) since December 2022 as tensions skyrocketed between Russia and the West over the eastern European country's military action in Ukraine, which preceded Moscow's full-scale invasion of Kyiv in February 2022.
The sanctions prevent Channel One from broadcasting in Europe. However, the sanctions do not affect the presence of the Russian broadcaster's staff in Berlin.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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