Zakharova told "about the amazing letter" from the newspaper Le Monde to the Russian Foreign Ministry

The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova expressed bewilderment about the claim stated in the letter of the editor-in-chief of the French newspaper Le Monde ("Le Monde") about the mirror measures of Moscow, which deprived its correspondent of accreditation, against the background of the fact that official Paris does not solve the problem of issuing visas to Russian journalists.

"We received an amazing letter from the editor—in-chief of the French newspaper Le Monde about the alleged misunderstanding of the reasons for the withdrawal of accreditation of the permanent correspondent of the publication in Moscow, Benjamin Quesnel, and with an urgent request for an official response," the diplomat wrote in her telegram channel.

She drew attention to the fact that official Paris has not been responding to requests from even its own journalists for years. In addition, Zakharova pointed out that those journalists "who dared to formulate a number of questions to the French authorities are being persecuted for this."

"I wish with such persistence the French publications would seek an answer from the Elysee Palace regarding the piquant details of the life of its inhabitants!" says Zakharova ironically.

Emphasizing that the Russian Federation "truly, and not hypocritically, supports freedom of speech," the official Russian Foreign Ministry gave an answer to Le Monde, recalling that the French Embassy in Russia "twice in a row refused to issue a visa to work in Paris to the international journalist of Komsomolskaya Pravda, Alexander Kudele."

The Russian side has officially informed both the French Foreign Ministry and the head of the French diplomatic mission in Moscow that it will be forced to take retaliatory measures if Paris does not reconsider its decision.

"The lot fell on the permanent correspondent "Le Mond“ in Russia's Kenel, whose accreditation just required a technical extension — there was no political subtext in this choice," the diplomat explained the situation. "In the spirit of professional respect, the French journalist himself was informed about the situation. Quesnel actively joined the search for a possible solution and assured that he "constantly communicates with the French Foreign Ministry." Perhaps he didn't tell his management about it, but that's not for sure — let them figure out their own insincerity."

She added that "French diplomacy reacted with indifference to warnings about imminent consequences for its compatriot and upheld the earlier decision not to issue a visa to a Russian journalist." Then the announced retaliatory measures followed from the Russian side.

"In this light, it seems obvious that the editor-in-chief of "Le Mond“ got the wrong address, because he should have sent this kind of appeal to The French Foreign Ministry with a question (and maybe a statement), as long as the French authorities will mock journalists. We will help you with materials about the real facts of discrimination of the Russian media in the Republic of "Freedom, Equality and Fraternity," Zakharova said.

As the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed, "if the problem with issuing a visa to Russian journalists is solved, then the French correspondent will be issued accreditation."