Russia Accuses France of Paranoia Over Journalist Bans for Paris Olympics

Russia criticized France on Wednesday for denying accreditation to some Russian journalists for the Paris Olympics, calling it a sign of paranoia. France's caretaker interior minister had stated that the rejections were based on security concerns, including espionage and cyberattacks, impacting over 4,000 applications.

Russia expressed strong disapproval on Wednesday over France's decision to deny accreditation to certain Russian journalists for the Paris Olympics, labeling the move as paranoid.

According to France's caretaker interior minister Gerald Darmanin, the French security services had rejected more than 4,000 applications for Olympic accreditations, attributing the rejections to concerns about espionage and cyberattacks.

Darmanin noted that some of the rejected applications came from Russia and its ally Belarus. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded by calling the security measures 'real paranoia.'

(With inputs from agencies.)