World
Four Bulgarian men sentenced over Paris Holocaust memorial graffiti
French intelligence services believe the vandalism was part of a destabilisation campaign by Russia,
November 3, 2025 16:13
French intelligence services believe the vandalism was part of a destabilisation campaign by Russia,
November 3, 2025 16:13Four Bulgarian men have been sentenced to between two and four years in prison for their involvement in spray-painting blood-red hands on Paris’ Holocaust Memorial.
A Paris court handed down two-year sentences to Georgi Filipov and Kiril Milushev, who acknowledged their responsibility, as well as four years to Nikolay Ivanov, who was accused of recruiting them. The alleged ringleader, Mircho Angelov, remains at large and was tried in absentia, receiving three years in prison.
Some 500 red hands were last year spray-painted on a wall honouring those who helped to rescue Jews during the Second World War and around the neighbouring vicinity.
The vandalism was initially viewed in the context of the war in Gaza amid a rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe, but French intelligence services have suggested the graffiti was part of a destabilisation campaign by Russia, according to court documents.
They theorised that Russia paid proxies to divide public opinion, stoke social tensions and spread false information. In recent years, governments across Europe have pointed to campaigns of a similar nature, also allegedly involving Russia, including paying people to commit vandalism, arson and bombing attempts.
The court stated that “foreign interference aimed at dividing the French society but that does not in any manner alleviate individual responsibility.” It noted the severity of a crime on a site targeted for its historical significance.
During the trial, both Filipov and Milushev expressed their regret for paining the hands, claiming they were paid by Angelov to do so.
Ivanow denied responsibility for the graffiti. Although he confirmed that he paid for plane and bus tickets and a Paris hotel for the others at Angelov's request, he denied any pro-Russian connections.
There has been a spate of incidents in France over the past two years linked to destabilisation campaigns. In October 2023, stencils of blue Stars of David appeared on Paris buildings. French authorities believed Russian intelligence was responsible. Two Moldovans were detained and deported in the case.
The following year, five empty coffins draped in French flags and bearing the message "French soldiers of Ukraine" were placed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. French authorities suspect the incident was an act of Russian interference aimed at influencing French public opinion amid discussions about sending Western troops to Ukraine.
The Paris memorial defacement marks the first of these incidents to be brought to trial.
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