Russia is expelling two staff members from German public broadcaster ARD, a regional branch of the broadcaster confirmed on Wednesday.
The WDR, which is responsible for covering Russia for the ARD broadcasting network, confirmed that two ARD employees – a correspondent and a technician – must return their accreditation and leave Russia by December 16.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that the move was in response to the expulsion of correspondents from Russian state television by German authorities.
The German Foreign Office in Berlin denounced the move even before official confirmation from Russian authorities: “If these reports are confirmed, we would reject them in the strongest possible terms. This is out of all proportion.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said Russia’s harsh treatment of journalists – particularly the domestic Russian press, but also foreign correspondents – is a matter of great concern.
He also denied the Russian Foreign Ministry’s claims that Russian television correspondents had been expelled from the country, and said that Russian journalists could report free and unhindered in Germany.
“The Russian allegations are false. The German government has not closed the office of this broadcaster,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.
The denial of residency permits to specific Russian journalists may be the issue, the spokesman acknowledged, but he stressed that local authorities in Germany’s 16 federal states make decisions on such matters.