Without identifying a source, the Rossiïa 24 television channel explained Thursday evening that the British journalist's visa expired on August 31 and that it would not be renewed, a measure presented as a response to alleged British pressure on Russian media. United Kingdom.

"It is a milestone expulsion", commented the journalist of the Russian channel.

Russian authorities continue to publicly criticize Western media content on Russia, regularly denouncing articles or reports deemed Russophobic.

But expulsions of journalists remain rare.

"The expulsion of Sarah Rainsford constitutes a direct attack on the freedom of the press that we condemn without reservation," the BBC reacted on Friday evening in a statement.

“We call on the Russian authorities to reverse their decision.

In the meantime, we will continue to report events in the region in an independent and impartial manner, ”added the British group, calling Sarah Rainsford an“ exceptional and intrepid journalist ”.

For her part, Russian diplomacy spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the half-word information by wielding sarcasm in a message posted on Telegram.

“Don't be shy,” she wrote.

"Representatives of the BBC recently visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, everything was explained, so they can tell everything."

The spokeswoman also underlined that Russia had in the past denounced, without effect, the “humiliations with the visas inflicted by London on the Russian correspondents in Great Britain”.

Strained relations

On August 9, the Russian Foreign Ministry had already declared personae non gratae unidentified British nationals "engaged in anti-Russian activities".

This measure was presented as a response to the ban of Russians from the territory of the United Kingdom as part of British sanctions taken in 2020 and 2021.

The Russian authorities have also increased this year legal proceedings against Russian media, NGOs and political organizations deemed hostile to power and accused of being financed or of serving the interests of the West.

Relations between London and Moscow have been particularly strained for years.

The British accuse Moscow of having used radioactive and chemical poisons to attack Russian opponents of Vladimir Putin who have taken refuge in the United Kingdom.

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