Russia expels BBC reporter in ‘revenge’

Russian state media reported that British BBC journalist Sarah Rainford had been deported from Russia. Rainford, who has been a Moscow correspondent since 2014, must have left the country before the end of the month. The authorities do not want to extend her visa.

According to Russian Radio 24, the Foreign Ministry’s decision is retaliatory, because the British, in turn, make journalists from Russian state radio stations impossible. For example, visas will not be issued or extended. The announcer describes the revenge as a “symbolic eviction.”

to caution

A spokesman for the Russian ministry said that the BBC was informed of the decision a few days ago. According to her, the Kremlin warned London several times about such reprisals. “We have regularly urged the British to end the persecution of Russian journalists.”

The BBC and Rainford have yet to comment. Reuters news agency reported that the British Embassy in Moscow had not yet issued a response.

visa problem

According to Russian correspondent Geert Grote Corkamp, ​​it has been rumored for years that Moscow is unhappy with the way British authorities treat Russian journalists in the UK. “There will be problems with their visas,” he said on NPO 1 radio.

But actual evictions are rare, he says. The last time a British journalist’s visa was not extended was in 2011. Then it was about Guardian journalist Luke Harding, who has written several critical articles on Putin.

bad relationship

According to Grote Corkamp, ​​the Russian action confirms that the relationship between Russia and the United Kingdom is “very bad”. Tensions have been rising between countries for some time. In 2018, Russian Sergei Skripal, who had spied for the British in the past, was too Toxicity in Salisbury, England. His daughter, who was with him at the time, came into contact with the poisonous substance.

In June of this year, it came to British-Russian Confrontation on the Black Sea. Moscow said the Russian navy fired warning shots and dropped bombs near a British naval vessel as a “provocative”. London to reject It was a warning shot.

“These types of incidents suggest that the relationship has been at an all-time low in years,” Grote Corkamp said. Such a measure will only delay any improvement in that relationship.