Russia-Germany to meet reporters in its own country

Germany and Russia are at odds as they expel journalists from their counterparts in the country.

Russia said on the 27th local time that it had expelled German journalists in response to Germany's expulsion of Russian journalists.

"As a 'mirror action' against unfriendly actions by the German authorities, we have ordered the German correspondent in Russia to return his cover permit and leave Russian federal territory," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mariya Zakharova told a briefing.

As a result, a correspondent and a cameraman from Germany's ARD Broadcasting Corporation were deported from Russia.

In response, Germany said it had not closed the offices of Russian broadcaster Channel 1 because two journalists from the station who were reportedly ordered to leave did not meet the residency requirements.

"Russian journalists are free to report in Germany undisturbed," a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said, but "if they do not meet the residency requirements, working as a journalist is of no use and they must meet the requirements."

Earlier, Russian broadcaster Channel 1 (Pervikanal) said it had been ordered by German authorities to close its Berlin bureau and expel one correspondent and one cameraman.

Channel 1 said last month that the company's journalist had been notified to leave Germany after reporting an article about a German detained by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), according to the TAS news agency.

The German is accused of trying to destroy a gas facility in Kaliningrad, a Russian off-shore territory, in March.