Translated material
The spying is true?
Moscow, in response to Paris's refusal to accredit the KP employee, banned the LE Monde Sobrosa to work. Paris asks to send "real journalists"
Photo: Yaghobzadeh Alfred / ABACA
The Russian Foreign Ministry decided not to extend the accreditation of Benjamen Kenel, a Le Monde correspondent in Russia, who has been working in Moscow for more than 20 years. According to the representative of the department Zakharova, this was done in response to the refusal to accreditation to an employee of Komsomolskaya Pravda. Foreign Ministry does not tire of repeating: “This is not a journalist”, “Send the present”, then we will consider ...
He recognized him to find out about the non -transmission of accreditation, which, according to Benjam Kenel, was “suspended” by the Russian Foreign Ministry on October 16, 2024, at the beginning of the week. Despite the fact that he worked in Russia since 2003: first-for the Catholic newspaper La Croix, then, since 2008, for the business publication Les Echos, and finally since July 2024-in the best, perhaps the French newspaper Le Monde.
On February 5, the newspaper published a statement by its editors community (La Société des rédacteurs du "monde") - in French, Russian and English. The newspaper called the decision to terminate the accreditation of its correspondent unprecedented: “Since 1957, the journalists of the publication, replacing each other, allowed readers to monitor the political, economic and social life of this key geopolitical power - both in the days of the USSR and today. Now, for the first time in almost 70 years, Le Monde is losing the opportunity to directly cover events in Russia. ”
“For several years, foreign journalists have to work in the context of increasing restrictions, and independent Russian medias are subject to constant persecution and are often forced to leave the country. <...> The editors of Le Monde expresses the full support of Benjamen Kenel and joins the protest of the leadership of the publication against this unfair decision of the Russian authorities, ”the text says.
“Increasing restrictions” is also understood to mean a change in accreditation rules in Moscow for correspondents from countries that the Russian authorities have submitted to the “unfriendly” lists. France, actively helping Ukraine - both in the political arena and (deliveries) on the battlefield - of course, could not but be among them.
What does Sobkor Le Monde write about Benjamen Kenel
The main change, which, after February 24, 2022, was also faced with Benjamen Kenel - the accreditation became necessary to renew more than once a year, as was customary in Russia and as it is still accepted in France, and once every three months. This decision, of course, is designed to reduce the horizon of work and life to journalists as much as possible from “unfriendly countries”. And thereby not only complicate their existence, but also “encourage” to be more careful, because in three months many feats are difficult to create.
Benjamen Kenel, of course, created, objectively and at a good expert level, covering what Russia is doing and what is being done in the Russian Federation.
Some headlines of its materials :
“The Russian regime, irritated by the defeat of the“ national association ”, is comforted by the weakening of Macron”;
“In Beslan there is an untouched pain of mothers, Putin's stubborn indifference”;
“Russia: A month after the largest exchange between Moscow and the West,“ postcards ”, reminiscent of hundreds of political prisoners”;
“Vladimir Kara-Murza*, Russian opposition:“ We need to cook the day after Putin ”;
“In Russia, reporting has gained strength again”;
“Russia:“ Hidden Court ”over three Navalny lawyers”;
“Why is the Russian economy, despite the sanctions, inflation and lack of labor”;
“Vladislav Inozemtsev*, Russian economist and dissident:“ Today's sanctions against Russia will be felt in a few years ””;
“Why Russia decided to change its nuclear doctrine”;
“Russia: in Nizhny Novgorod - a fragile memory of journalist Irina Slavina”;
“Between the promotion of the“ elite ”that supports *** and the repression against“ foreign agents ”are two sides of the Russian society”;
“Russia: the ruble rate is rapidly falling, having reached a minimum over the past two years”;
“In Russia, the Kremlin seeks to suppress the memory of Soviet repressions”;
“It is important to maintain contact,”-in the center of the informal Russian-European economic summit (in the UAE) ”;
“Russian schools - resonators of Kremlin propaganda”;
“Why did Russia and Iran sign a new agreement on a“ strategic ”partnership?” ...
And one of the latter (a report from the French capital, where Benjamen was forced to return a few months ago):
- "In Paris, a ceremony was held in honor of Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Freedom in Russia."
Considering that Benjamen Kenel works in Le Monde a little over six months, I listed here a significant part of the headings of his articles, creating, I hope, a more or less accurate idea of the content of his work.
"The lot fell on the correspondent" Le Mond "
The next early morning, M. Zakharova, an official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, responded to the statement of Le Monde.
QUOTE
“They received an amazing letter from the editor -in -chief of the French newspaper Le Mond about the alleged misunderstanding of the reasons for the deprivation of accreditation of the permanent correspondent of the publication in Moscow Benjamen Kenel and with an urgent request for an official answer,” she said and immediately “explained”: “The French Embassy in Russia twice in a row, it refused to issue a visa to work in Paris to the journalist-internationalist “Komsomolskaya Pravda” to Alexander Kudel. The Russian side officially informed the Foreign Ministry of France and the head of the French diplomatic mission in Moscow that it would be forced to take response if Paris does not revise its decision. ”
Further, Zakharova explains that the Foreign Ministry decided to expel a foreign correspondent with 22-year experience in Russia almost at random: “The lot fell on a permanent correspondent of Le Mond in Russia Kenel, whose accreditation just required technical renewal, no political subtext in this There was no choice. "
There is no comment here, and in order not to go far from the loud words about the "international journalist" Komsomolskaya Pravda ", we will put the message of Ms. Zakharova and look at the website of the specified publication entered in the register of Russian media.
"The Alligator completely swallowed an adult woman ..."
Let's see the articles published under the name Alexander Kudel.
There are quite a lot of them on the KP website, although the first material is only two years ago - dated January 2023. It is impossible and not necessary to quote all materials, and each reader of this note, if suddenly wants, can score a “kudel” in the search engine of the site of the specified publication. And I will quote the most indicative from three points of view:
Firstly, from the point of view of the flight of the “international journalist”,
secondly, the amazing breadth of his interests,
Thirdly-taking into account the fact that it intended to be directed to France, and I will quit the “French” headlines a little more closely.
According to the same principle-in chronological order (plus or minus).
So:
“The trade unions launched skis: strikes in France reached the ski resorts. Under the threat of vacation in the Alps and the World Cup ”;
“The director of the zoo in Mexico launched wards of animals on a hot one. Only horns and legs remained from the dwarf goats ”;
“Rats attack France. In some large cities, their number has already exceeded the number of inhabitants ”(and the beginning of the article:“ ... according to Le Parisien, millions of rats suddenly climbed into the world ”);
“In China, proteins will take care of drugs. The police trains nimble animals along with dogs [video] ”;
“How the West answered Putin’s message: who is lying, who is catching fear and who understood everything”;
“An expert on the language of the body: the British royal family looks fragmented. Charles III chose not to see the lion's share of the family at his festival ”;
“There is a self -destruction of national pride”: a Russian woman living in France, spoke about the day of the capture of the Bastille and the attitude to the Russians ”;
“In France, they will fight dog feces with DNA tests”;
“Bed bugs reached the French parliament: the invasion of parasites acquires a state scale”;
“He sacrificed education to sports, and the Foreign Ministry gave it to his ex-wife: the strange decisions of the new prime minister of France caused a scandal”;
“Macron was flooded: troops were introduced into part of France, rebels took to the streets with the flags of Azerbaijan. France accused Azerbaijan of riots in New Caledonia ”;
“I will pace in Senu on June 23: the French launched a wild flash mob for Macron in front of the Olympics”;
“The young politician whipped Macron in the elections: he is against entering troops into Ukraine and agree that NATO should not threaten Russia. Political scientist Timofeev: The victory of the ultra -right in France is a marker of attitude to Macron ”;
“The Alligator completely swallowed an adult woman: terrifying shots. In Florida, a huge alligator completely swallowed the American ”;
“Macron is drowning in a dirty hay: four scenarios, one was darker than the other, stood in front of France. Marine Le Pen announced the preparation of a coup in France ”;
“NATO is to blame for the Ukrainian conflict: Jean-Luke Melanshon, who considers this, is striving for the premieres of France”;
“Pavel Durova overshadowed the sovereign of donors: the father of a thousand children was found. The recognition of Pavel Durov in the donation of sperm caused ethical issues ”;
“Mysterious infection: Elton John partially blinded. Elton John blind on one eye due to the infection ”;
“The real slaves were found in McDonald's: the gang forced them to prepare burgers for days. A gang from the Czech Republic supplied slaves for the British McDonalds ”;
“The shadow of fatal poisoning fell on Trump: a burger from McDonald's killed a man”;
“Lose weight as a presidential: Russian doctors advised Donald Trump a suitable diet”;
“The mystery of presidential hair: Donald Trump changed his hairstyle”;
“The scandal in the White House because of the underwear: Trump's wife showed her character without having time to become the first lady”;
“The UNESCO who has fallen under the influence of the West is silent for the murders of Russian journalists” (the names are listed: Daria Dugina, Vladlen Tatarsky, Oleg Klokov, Rostislav Zhuravlev, Boris Maksudov ...);
“Controversial century: 100 years of diplomitions between Russia and France. Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation: It is difficult to recognize the former France in the weapons of a dependent country with weapons ”;
“The French are afraid that the opening of a nototre-date will turn into an anti-Christian bacchanalia: the Pope refused to come. Zakharova: Pope punished Macron for indecency at the Olympics ”...
Etc.
As you can see even from the headlines, Alexander Kudela is really a “international journalist”: firstly, writes for a newspaper (means a journalist), and secondly, digs the most interesting in different parts of the world (well, an internationalist).
Against the backdrop of all this, not only Ms. Zakharova, but any person’s goodwill has a legitimate question: what did not suit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, which already refused twice the Russian internationalist in accreditation on his unfriendly land? The French Foreign Ministry speaks hints.
February 6 - in the official statement:
“France condemns the decision of the Russian authorities on the sharp review of the accreditation of the Le Monde newspaper correspondent in Moscow, Benjamen Kenel. (...) The Russian argument that this is a measure of reciprocity is unacceptable. France has repeatedly declared the Russian side about its full readiness to consider the candidates of real Russian journalists in France. This position remains unchanged. <...> France calls on the Russian authorities to reconsider its decision, otherwise the answer will follow. France confirms its constant and decisive commitment to the freedom of the press and the protection of journalists around the world. ”
What, in addition to the content of articles published under the name Alexander Kudel, allowed the French Foreign Ministry to conclude that he is “fake”? The fact that no publications before January 2023 manage to find in any search engine?
How are there no images of an “international” in the search engines ... or that neither surname nor photographs of Kudel (unlike hundreds of other authors), even in the alphabetical list on the KP website?
But if he submitted documents to the Foreign Ministry of France, then, of course, exists. And in some lists it appears. In which one - this question, apparently, aroused suspicions among the French authorities.
What exactly suspicions?
This is already discussed without unnecessary hints in the answer published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation under the intriguing heading "On the next series of diffamation articles in the French media."
“... Director of the newspaper Jerome Fenglyio in the editorial column Paphno proclaims that for the first time since 1957, Le Monde will be without a correspondent in Russia. However, only casually and by chance mentions that the measures taken by Moscow are response, mirror in nature, and is completely silent about the systematic oppression on Russian journalists in France itself for many years. But not embarrassedly accusing the Russian media in cooperation with the special services - exactly what the Western media, correspondents and writers have long been doing, ”,
-Approved in a statement by the Russian department with reference ... to a commentary in the telegram channel Ms. Zakharova regarding the arrest of American journalist Gershkovich in Russia, whose wine in the same comment is proved ... by a quote from the autobiography of the Somerset Maam.
And the director of Le Monde has to be confirmed, he really wrote in his separate statement of February 5 (published almost simultaneously with the statement of the editors community):
“As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia stated in cooperation with French diplomacy, this ban is a response measure to give Paris a press visa to the so-called journalists from the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, known for its proximity to the Kremlin. According to the French Foreign Ministry, the candidates proposed by Moscow were not journalists **, but were agents of Russian special services. "
Le monde: We will continue to write about Russia
“The editors of KP categorically rejects these accusations. And after all, it is completely clear what the true motives of Paris are: our objective articles on international topics ( highlighted by the “new” - approx. Ed. ) Do not fit into the Western liberal dogma. The Sobriks of Komsomolskaya Pravda have successfully worked in France for years. But our colleague Alexander Kudel, who had not even visited this country, refused to accreditation with the wording “threatens national security”. It’s necessary - the work of the KP Corcontisz is jealous of the safety of a whole nuclear power! ” - the Russian edition was indignant.
“Unlike Paris, which frankly prevents the work of Russian media, in Russia there are no artificial barriers to French journalists,” the Russian Foreign Ministry assured in his statement: “They work freely, receive all the necessary documents and access to information, participate in the press. conferences and briefings. None of the 33 representatives of the nine French media accredited by the Russian Foreign Ministry applied to the Ministry with complaints or claims. ”
“In June last year, Moscow forbade the spread of 81 European media ( among them nine French ), including large ones as Le Monde, Libération and AFP. However, their sites can still be available for Russians through VPN. This measure was presented as an answer to the ban on the European Union of four Russian media, which are considered instruments of propaganda. This is a escalation in the media conflict between Europe and Russia, ”the Les Echos newspaper recalled in connection with this situation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry himself clarifies that by “Russian media” it means such bodies as RT and Sputnik. At the same time, it should be noted that as the distribution of anti -Vax “views” as “interference in the elections” (in which Macron himself has repeatedly accused the “Russian propaganda organs”), and, of course, their position in Ukraine give the French authorities a logical occasion and legal grounds for refusal to accreditation to such editions and their employees.
At the same time, even now, as stated on February 6 with an annual appeal to the press, the French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barro, Paris “showed all possible efforts” for several months so that Benjamin Kenel does not deprive in Moscow. Moreover, even Zakharova herself does not blame him for anything, pointing only to the "lot".
The director of Le Monde Jerome Fenglyio wrote in his appeal: “We urgently urge the Russian authorities to reconsider his decision, dictated by motives that have nothing to do with our publication.”
But, as it should be respected publication, without visible hints of possible concessions to the Russian authorities: “We also confirm our determination to continue to cover the Russian reality and monitor its political, economic and social life with Benjamin Kenel and the entire international version, providing reliable, Deep and independent information. "
“We urge the French authorities to reconsider our decision on the non -giving visa to the Russian journalist of Komsomolskaya Pravda. Как только это будет сделано, сразу же пересмотрим ответные меры в отношении французского журналиста, которые были приняты в качестве реакции на отказ в возможности работать корреспонденту российского СМИ. Также призывам французские власти прекратить третировать и запугивать российских журналистов», — написала госпожа Захарова, и то же самое говорится в заявлении российского МИДа.
В тот же день официальный представитель МИДа Франции Кристоф Лемуан повторил позицию Парижа:
«Решение [об отзыве аккредитации] является абсолютно произвольным. Бенжамен Кенель имеет аккредитацию в России уже более 20 лет, и качество его работы признано, поскольку он также сотрудничал с другими ведущими газетами, такими как Les Echos и La Croix.
Мы отвергаем аргумент российских властей о том, что это взаимная мера. This is by no means.
Франция неоднократно давала понять россиянам, что она полностью готова рассмотреть заявки от — и я действительно должен подчеркнуть эти слова — настоящих российских журналистов во Франции. Она всегда готова это сделать…»
«Попытки Министерства иностранных дел России внушить, что препятствия создаются для работы российских журналистов в Европе или во Франции, никого не обманывают. Мы всегда уважали работу российских журналистов, аккредитованных на нашей территории, при условии, что это действительно журналисты и что их СМИ не находятся под санкциями. Франция вновь подтверждает свою постоянную и решительную приверженность свободе прессы и защите журналистов во всем мире», — добавил Лемуан.
И подчеркнул: «Франция призывает российские власти пересмотреть свое решение, которое, подтверждаю вам, иначе вызовет ответ с нашей стороны», чуть позднее раскрыв один из шагов, который сейчас обсуждается: «С 24 февраля 2022 года, когда Россия начала *** против Украины, независимая журналистика в России подвергается цензуре. Эта цензура проявляется по-разному, включая криминализацию «ложной информации о Вооруженных силах», закрытие или уход ведущих независимых изданий, необоснованные приговоры и необъяснимые смерти. Иностранные журналисты не являются исключением и также работают в этом контексте. Например, срок их аккредитации сократился до трех месяцев, что означает необходимость постоянно продлевать ее. Для сравнения: российские журналисты во Франции аккредитованы на год. Но, повторюсь, это ситуация, которую нам предстоит пересмотреть…»
Бенжамен Кенель на вопрос «Новой», дал ли ему французский МИД какую-то надежду на возможность возвращения в Россию, ответил: «Пока без шансов».