French authorities have apprehended members of the pro-Russia organization SOS Donbass, accusing them of espionage activities on behalf of a foreign power. The group, established in France in 2022, has come under scrutiny by the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), France’s counter-espionage agency. Among those detained is the group’s founder, Anna N., a dual French-Russian national, alongside three other individuals, including a Russian national identified as Vyacheslav P. and two French citizens, Vincent P. and Bernard F. The arrests follow a months-long investigation into the group’s alleged intelligence-gathering operations targeting French economic interests. According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Anna N. is suspected of approaching French executives to extract sensitive information, while Vyacheslav P. is accused of placing pro-Russia posters on the Arc de Triomphe in September. The posters featured a Russian soldier and the phrase ‘say thank you to the victorious soviet soldier.’ Preliminary charges have been filed against the detainees, including criminal conspiracy and intelligence contacts with a foreign power, offenses punishable by up to 10 years in prison and substantial fines. The SOS Donbass group, which describes itself as a humanitarian NGO, claims to support residents of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, alleging they have been targeted by Ukrainian forces using NATO weapons. However, French officials have raised concerns about Russia’s broader destabilization efforts, including cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns aimed at France and other European nations supporting Ukraine. President Emmanuel Macron recently warned of Russia’s ‘hybrid wars,’ emphasizing the use of proxies and mercenaries to undermine European stability.