ISTANBUL

French authorities have arrested three people suspected of spying for Russia and promoting pro-Kremlin war propaganda in Paris, prosecutors have said.

The arrests are part of an investigation into SOS Donbass, a French-Russian organization that purports to be a humanitarian group assisting civilians in eastern Ukraine but is suspected by intelligence services of acting as a relay for Russian influence operations, France 24 reported on Tuesday.

One of the detainees, a 40-year-old Russian national, was identified through surveillance footage in September after allegedly posting pro-Russian propaganda posters on the Arc de Triomphe, Paris’s most iconic monument.

Prosecutors claim that he reported his actions to the association's leader over the phone.

The organization’s head, a 40-year-old woman born in Russia, had been under close watch by France’s domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, since early 2025.

Investigators believe she attempted to obtain economic information from French business executives.

The DGSI flagged "actions likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation," prompting the appointment of an investigating magistrate in March to investigate suspected offenses, including "collusion with a foreign power," which carries a potential 10-year prison sentence.

A third suspect, a 63-year-old man from Seine-Saint-Denis, was also taken into custody.

A fourth individual, aged 58, avoided pre-trial detention but was placed under strict judicial supervision and must report to the police weekly.

French officials have repeatedly warned that Russian intelligence services are expanding covert operations on European soil, ranging from cyberattacks and online propaganda to in-person recruitment and targeted influence efforts.

The investigation into SOS Donbass appears to align with this broader pattern, as authorities examine whether humanitarian cover is being used to legitimize pro-Kremlin messaging or collect sensitive information.

The suspects remain under investigation as prosecutors and intelligence services continue to analyze potential links to Russian state structures.