Bulgarian Men Jailed in France for Vandalism Linked to Russian Hybrid Warfare

In a Paris courtroom, three Bulgarian men have been sentenced for their roles in a series of vandalism incidents that French authorities suspect are part of a Russian-backed hybrid warfare effort. Georgi Filipov, Nikolay Ivanov, and Kiril Milushev all admitted to their involvement in the acts but denied working for a foreign power or holding antisemitic views.

The trial, which spanned three days, focused on the defacement of the Wall of the Righteous at the Shoah memorial in Paris in May 2024, where red handprints were spray-painted onto the monument dedicated to those who saved French Jews during the Holocaust. This incident was part of a wave of symbolic attacks across France, including pig heads left outside mosques and Stars of David painted in the capital.

Prosecutors alleged that these acts were amplified by Russian social media trolls, aiming to sow discord and undermine the stability of French society and European democracies. France, with its current political divisions and complex social fabric, is considered a prime target for such destabilization campaigns.

The court heard that the men claimed they were motivated by money, with one defendant reportedly paid €1,000 plus expenses for his participation. Filipov, 36, who had swastika tattoos and images of himself in Nazi-themed attire, stated he regretted past choices. He received a two-year sentence.

The alleged mastermind, Mircho Angelov, who remains at large and is linked to a Russian intelligence officer, received a three-year term in absentia. Kiril Milushev, 28, who cited personal difficulties as a reason for his involvement, was sentenced to two years. Nikolay Ivanov, considered the key figure in the plot, received the heaviest sentence of four years. His defence admitted suspicions of Russian involvement but argued the men were unwitting pawns in a larger conflict.