Moscow banned entry into Russia for MPs Sacha Houlié and Arthur Delaporte and journalists Ariane Chemin and Paul Gogo, a move taken in response to the expulsion of pro-Kremlin columnist Xenia Fedorova.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the decision was taken “because of their participation in the harassment of Fedorova and their calls for her expulsion.” Le Monde condemned “in the strongest terms” the ban on its special correspondent Ariane Chemin, and the management of Ouest-France called the measure an attack on press freedom.