Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/2164 of 24 September 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s destabilising activities

In Annex I to Decision (CFSP) 2024/2643, the following entry is added under the heading 'A. Natural persons': Name Identifying information Statement of reasons Date of listing '81. Xenia Vladimirovna FEDOROVA (Russian: Ксения Владимировна ФЁДОРОВА) Function: Former President and Director of Information of Russia Today France (between 2017 and 2022), writer, journalist and columnist DOB: 26.12.1980 Nationality: Russian Gender: female X account: https://x.com/xfedorova Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/xfedorova Xenia Fedorova is a Russian media figure and former senior executive of Russia Today (RT) France who is active in the dissemination of pro-Russian narratives in France and the Union in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Xenia Fedorova joined RT in 2005 and subsequently held senior positions within the RT media network. She headed Ruptly, RT's Berlin-based video agency, from 2015 to 2017, before becoming President and Director of Information of RT France in 2017. In that capacity, Xenia Fedorova participated in the implementation and dissemination of RT France's editorial line, including narratives aligned with those promoted by the Russian authorities. Following the suspension of RT's broadcasting activities in the Union, Xenia Fedorova continued to disseminate in French media narratives aligned with those promoted by the Russian authorities concerning Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, European support for Ukraine, NATO and relations between Russia and the Union. In particular, Xenia Fedorova has portrayed Western and European support for Ukraine as prolonging the war, presented Russia as seeking peace while portraying Europe as pursuing confrontation, questioned established accounts concerning the unlawful transfer and deportation of Ukrainian children, and disseminated narratives portraying European and NATO policies as threats to European security. Since 2025, Xenia Fedorova has regularly contributed to several French media outlets, including CNews, Europe 1 and Le JDNews, through which she has continued to disseminate such narratives to a broad French audience. Xenia Fedorova has been publicly identified by the French authorities as relaying Kremlin disinformation. In July 2026, the French authorities also adopted an expulsion measure against her. Therefore, Xenia Fedorova is supporting, involved in and facilitating actions and policies attributable to the Government of the Russian Federation which undermine or threaten democracy and stability in the Union and in one of its Member States and in a third country by engaging in and supporting the use of information manipulation and interference. 24.9.2026'