Authorities in Moscow on Wednesday accused Germany of shutting downthe Berlin bureau of Russias state broadcaster Channel One over national security concerns, though German officials later denied the allegations.Channel One correspondent Ivan Blagoi said he and cameraman Dmitry Volkov were ordered to leave Germany by mid-December.The decision was motivated by Germanys national security interests, Blagoi said, citing a 10-page document said to have been issued by German authorities.According to Channel One, the document claims the broadcaster poses a significant and direct threat to German and EU public order and security through its ability to influence public opinion.Officials in Berlin reportedly argue that Channel One has fostered distrust among Russian-speaking migrants in Germany toward German and EU institutions by promoting a narrative of the declining West.Despite restrictions on Russian state-backed media, Channel One retains significant viewership among former Soviet Union migrants in Germany, the document allegedly said.Blagoi claimed the order to close the bureau came almost immediately after Channel One aired a report on the recent arrest of a German citizen in Russias Kaliningrad region on charges of sabotage.Germanys Federal Foreign Office spokesmanChristian Wagner later dismissed the reported closure asfalse and said he couldonly assume that this is related to questions of residence rights.Russian journalists can report freely and unhindered in Germany, Wagner said.Russias Foreign Ministry announcedthat two employees of Germanys ARD public broadcaster would be expelled from Russia in a tit-for-tat move.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saidMoscow could accredit their replacements after Germany fully restores Channel Ones Berlin bureau.Wagner said that Berlin rejected the expulsion of the ARD employees in the strongest possible terms.When reached for comment,Germanys state media regulator told The Moscow Times that it hadno knowledge about the alleged closure of Channel Ones Berlin bureau.
The Moscow Times also contacted ARD for comment.In late 2021, Germany successfully lobbied to block the German-language version of Russias RT broadcaster from Europes satellite network, prompting Russia to shut down Deutsche Welles Moscow bureau in retaliation.The United States sanctioned Channel One over its ties to the Russian government.AFP contributed reporting.