Paris Attacks and Their Aftermath
In September 2025, unidentified individuals placed bloodied pig heads outside nine mosques and cultural centers across Paris, each marked with the name 'Macron' in blue ink. Three Serbian nationals were convicted for the act in their home country. The court determined that they were directed by structures linked to the Russian Federation's intelligence services. These details came to light through a document leak obtained by journalists from OCCRP and Estonia's Delfi.
The documents point to the Russian PR firm Social Design Agency (SDA), which has already faced sanctions from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. They also reference the Russian Presidential Administration, whose officials oversee SDA's operations. Dozens of files contain internal reports on operations described by their authors as 'cognitive strikes' against the West. A separate document titled 'Pig Head Operation Report' outlines the preparation for the attack on Paris mosques. A group of six operatives arrived in Paris on September 7, conducted 'reconnaissance,' delivered the heads the following night, and 'successfully left the country.'
Organization and Objectives of the Campaigns
Financial matters for this operation were handled by Sofia Zakharova, an official in the Russian Presidential Administration who used the pseudonym 'Christine Keeler.' In 2024, the EU imposed sanctions on Zakharova for her work with SDA. In one conversation, she mentioned waiting for a 'green light from SVK,' which corresponds to the initials of Sergei Kiriyenko, the first deputy chief of the administration.
Other actions described in the documents include acts of vandalism such as:
- spraying green paint on the Paris Holocaust Museum and several synagogues;
- placing plastic skeletons near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The goal of the synagogue operation was to 'strike at Macron's image, as he dared to criticize Israel.' Another project involved spreading a fake story claiming that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had purchased a luxury apartment in Dubai's Burj Khalifa skyscraper. This narrative garnered over 86 million views worldwide. The documents also mention attempts to influence elections in Armenia through media targeting Russian-speaking voters and to discredit Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Among the Western 'opinion leaders' cited is retired U.S. General Paul Vallely, about whom Zakharova wrote:
'Vallely is close to Trump and is perceived accordingly.'A separate plan called 'Mitteleuropa' proposed dismantling the Visegrád Group (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia) and replacing it with an alliance of Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia. In early May, the UK imposed new sanctions against SDA, targeting 49 individuals.
The documents state:
'The more actively Russia participates in influence campaigns around the world, the stronger the image of global Russian power becomes.'James Pammett emphasizes that 'they are trying to create conflicts between groups in society,' which poses a danger to Europe.
This situation underscores the growing risk of destabilization in Europe due to external influences, particularly from Russia. The leaked documents reveal organized activities aimed at undermining trust in Western leaders and sparking societal conflicts. As global competition intensifies, information warfare has become a key tool for achieving political objectives.