French authorities have detained three people for allegedly working for Russian security services and conducting economic espionage under the guise of running a humanitarian organisation.
French authorities have detained three people on suspicion of working for Russian security services and conducting economic espionage, the Paris prosecutor's office said.
The suspects are accused of destabilising activities on French territory in Russia's interests. A fourth person has been placed under judicial supervision.
French media reported that the three suspects are members of the French-Russian organisation SOS Donbass.
Among those detained is Anna Novikova, the organisation's founder, who holds dual French-Russian citizenship. Vincent Perfetti, a Frenchman from Saint-Denis who serves as the group's director, is also facing charges.
In videos posted by the organisation, Novikova and Perfetti have both promoted downloadable posters on the group's website that show a handshake in the Russian colours and the words, “Russia is not my enemy.”
The prosecutor’s office said that the pair face preliminary charges of criminal conspiracy, intelligence contacts with a foreign power, and gathering information for a foreign power — crimes each punishable by up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines. It did not name the foreign power.
Novikova first drew attention from France's Directorate General of Internal Security (DGSI), which identified "actions that could harm the fundamental interests of the nation."
Novikova also faces charges of collecting information on state interests for a foreign power and collusion with a foreign state, which carries up to 10 years in prison.
Another suspect is Vyacheslav P, a Russian national. He was identified from CCTV footage showing him posting pro-Russian posters on the Arc de Triomphe in early September. Novikova was allegedly aware of his activities.
The posters showed a Russian soldier with words "say thank you to the victorious Soviet soldier".
A fourth suspect, Bernard F from Paris, has been placed under judicial supervision and must regularly report to police.
Russia targeting France, Macron says
The group, named after the Russian term for the Ukrainian eastern region of the Donbas — which includes Donetsk and Luhansk — claims its mission is humanitarian. However, its actions have been supportive of Russia's partial occupation of the region since its initial invasion in 2014.
The group's social media accounts regularly publish pro-Russian content, including excerpts from speeches by President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and materials from Russian state media banned in the EU.
The breakup of the alleged intelligence-gathering operation came as French President Emmanuel Macron warned about Russian destabilisation efforts targeting France, a key backer of Ukraine in the nearly four-year war.
Macron said this week that Russia is waging “hybrid wars” against Europe, including by employing proxies.
“It pays people, mercenaries. It has pushed people to carry out destabilisation activities in our countries,” he said.
Perfetti's lawyer David Bocobza called the accusations "absurd" and "a worrying shift toward the criminalisation of pro-Russian opinions." "This isn't an espionage case, it's a case of poster-stickers," Bocobza said.