Russia Expels Austrian State Broadcaster’s Correspondent Amid Tensions

Russia has expelled Carola Schneider, the Moscow correspondent for Austrian state broadcaster ORF, in response to Austria revoking the accreditation of TASS's chief correspondent. The Russian foreign ministry has stated that the decision is a retaliatory measure against perceived discrimination of Russian media in Austria.

Russia said on Wednesday that it had ordered the Moscow correspondent for Austrian state broadcaster ORF to leave the country after Vienna revoked the accreditation of TASS's chief correspondent in Austria.

Russia's foreign ministry said it had summoned ORF's chief Moscow correspondent, Carola Schneider. "She was ordered to hand over her accreditation and to leave the territory of the Russian Federation in the near future," the foreign ministry said.

"It was emphasized that this step is a forced retaliatory measure in connection with the continued discrimination against representatives of the Russian media in Austria." The foreign ministry said that if Austria restored accreditation to Arina Davidyan, the Vienna correspondent of state news agency TASS, then it could reverse its decision. (Writing by Felix Light; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)