Russia–Netherlands journalist accreditation dispute escalates

Europe-Asia, International

INTERNATIONAL, 3 April 2026 (NPA) — The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands has issued a statement addressing the recent revocation of accreditations for Russian and Dutch journalists in Moscow and The Hague, placing responsibility for the escalation squarely on Dutch authorities.

According to the Embassy, in a statement today, the dispute began when the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) declined to renew the residence permit of Anastasiia Ivanova, a correspondent for the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. The IND reportedly cited her employer’s inclusion under EU sanctions and described her presence as a “threat to public order.”

The Embassy claims that Ms. Ivanova, who had worked in the Netherlands since 2023, faced severe restrictions including frozen bank accounts and loss of housing, leaving her unable to continue her professional duties. Russian officials argue that this amounted to undue pressure on a journalist and violated principles of press freedom.

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In response, Moscow revoked the accreditation of Geert Groot Koerkamp, a correspondent for Dutch broadcaster NOS. The Embassy emphasized that this was a reciprocal measure, warning that Russia had repeatedly cautioned Dutch authorities against targeting journalists.

“The initiative and the responsibility for this situation lies solely on the Dutch authorities,” the Embassy stated, adding that EU sanctions do not prevent RIA Novosti correspondents from working in other European countries.

The press release further suggested that the Dutch journalistic community could help resolve the standoff by urging their government to reinstate Ivanova’s accreditation, which would in turn allow the NOS correspondent to resume work in Moscow.