Russian nationals among 4 people arrested in France over espionage probe

PARIS (AP) — French authorities have detained members of a pro-Russia support group and accused them of intelligence-gathering for a foreign power.

The SOS Donbass group was set up in France in 2022. Its founder, a dual French-Russian national, was among four people taken into custody.

The General Directorate of Internal Security, or DGSI, France’s domestic secret service that specializes in counter-espionage, had for months been investigating her activities, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

Three men were also taken into custody, one of them a Russian national.

The break-up of the alleged intelligence operation comes amid fresh warnings from French President Emmanuel Macron about Russian destabilization efforts targeting France, a key backer of Ukraine.

The Paris prosecutor’s office identified the detained founder of SOS Donbass only as Anna N. It said the 40-year-old was born in Russia.

Also arrested was a 40-year-old Russian identified as Vyacheslav P., as well as two French nationals referred to as Vincent P., 63, and Bernard F., 58.

Anna N. has been in the DGSI’s crosshairs for months and is “suspected of having approached executives from various French companies in order to obtain information related to French economic interests,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement to The Associated Press.

It said she was also in contact with Vyacheslav P., who is alleged to have fixed pro-Russia posters onto the Arc de Triomphe in September. The posters showed a Russian soldier and the words “say thank you to the victorious soviet soldier.”

The prosecutor’s office said Vyacheslav P., who remains in detention, was identified in video footage as the poster-sticker on the Paris landmark.

The prosecutor’s office said Anna N. and Vincent P. 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 as well as large fines. They remain in detention.

Preliminary charges of criminal conspiracy and intelligence contacts with a foreign power have been filed against Bernard F., who is not in detention but is barred from leaving France and must report weekly to authorities.

Vyacheslav P. faces preliminary charges of criminal conspiracy and property damage to serve a foreign power.

The SOS Donbass website says it was founded by Anna Novikova after she visited the Donbas, the name that Russians use for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine that Russian forces have largely occupied. On social media, SOS Donbass has previously identified its president as someone named Vincent Perfetti.

The organization describes itself as a humanitarian NGO that collects funds and distributes aid to Donbas residents “who have been bombarded by the Ukrainian army with NATO weapons.” It also says that it wants to “build a bridge of peace between Europe and Russia.”

Posters on the group’s website show a handshake in the Russian colors and the words, “Russia is not my enemy.”

French government, intelligence and military officials say Russia has increasingly been targeting France with cyberattacks, disinformation and other destabilization efforts — tactics also employed against other countries backing Ukraine.

Mapping by the AP of the disruption campaign has documented dozens of incidents across Europe since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

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 destabilization activities in our countries,” he said.