- German authorities seized the passports of the wife and daughter of Russian journalist Sergey Feoktistov, claiming they might evade deportation. Feoktistov, Berlin bureau chief for Rossiya Segodnya, was denied entry to Germany after his residency permit was revoked.
- The incident reflects worsening Russia-West tensions over media restrictions. The EU has banned Russian state-backed outlets like RT and Sputnik, while Russia has retaliated against Western media (e.g., Deutsche Welle).
- Moscow condemned Germany's actions as an attack on press freedom. Russian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, accused Berlin of silencing dissent. Rossiya Segodnya CEO Dmitry Kiselyov framed it as preparation for "war with Russia."
- Earlier in 2025, Greece revoked the accreditation of RIA Novosti correspondent Gennady Melnik, forcing the closure of its Athens bureau. Greek journalists criticized the move as NATO-aligned censorship.
German authorities have confiscated the passports of the family members of a Russian journalist in the country, a move Moscow has described as an assault on press freedom.
The wife and young daughter of Sergey Feoktistov, the Berlin bureau chief for Russia's Rossiya Segodnya news agency, found themselves without a passport after police entered the family's apartment in the German capital. Law enforcement then seized their passports under the pretext that they might evade deportation orders.
"They claimed my wife and daughter might go into hiding," Feoktistov told RIA Novosti on Tuesday, June 10. The incident followed the German government refusing to renew the journalist's residency permit, ordering him to leave the country by Aug. 19. Feoktistov flew to Germany on Friday, June 6, to assist his family's relocation – but was denied entry at the airport.
The escalating standoff underscores deepening tensions between Russia and the West over media restrictions, with both sides accusing each other of stifling dissent and manipulating information. Since 2022, the European Union has banned multiple Russian state-backed media organizations, including RT and Sputnik.
The EU imposed sanctions on Rossia Segodnya in 2023, branding it a disinformation outlet over its coverage of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In turn, Moscow has retaliated with similar measures against reporters from Western outlets like Germany's Deutsche Welle.
Another Russian journalist silenced, this time in Greece
Russian officials have framed the incident as part of a broader campaign to silence dissenting voices. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accused Berlin of "targeting journalists and media outlets to eradicate alternative points of view." (Related: Russia says U.S. waging war on free speech after new sanctions imposed on RT.)
Rossiya Segodnya CEO Dmitry Kiselyov went further, alleging Germany is preparing its public for "a war with Russia." He invoked historical grievances by referencing the country's role in World War I and II. Kiselyov remarked: "The question is: What does it hope to achieve with a third one?"
The incident involving Feoktistov came months after the Greek government declined to renew the accreditation of RIA Novosti correspondent Gennady Melnik in March of this year. The move by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs forced the closure of the outlet's Athens Bureau after two decades.
The Greek group Journalistic Cooperation denounced the decision as an attack on press freedom and alignment with North Atlantic Treaty Organization interests. It accused Athens of enforcing “Euro-Atlantic plans” by suppressing Russian media.
As diplomatic recriminations intensify, the Feoktistov case highlights the weaponization of media access in geopolitical conflicts. For now, the standoff leaves a Russian journalist's family stranded.
Watch this video about the censorship faced by RT, Sputnik and the website The Kremlin Stories.
This video is from the Marine1063 channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Greenwald: Western censorship of Russia is excessive and counterproductive.
MSM journalist lands on Ukraine hit list after reporting that most Crimeans are pro-Russia.
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