These were reports that particularly worried tourism in France; last summer a veritable plague of bedbugs is said to have swept the country. The French government has now investigated this – and has found a trail of propaganda from the Kremlin.
According to various reports, the alleged invaders are said to have settled mainly in Paris: in hotels, cinemas and subways. The “FAZ” headlined: “They are everywhere” and offered its readers tips on how to protect themselves from the insects.
There can be no question of a plague
The damage to French tourism was correspondingly great. So big that the government in Paris has now taken up the issue – although it has been shown that cases have increased moderately since 2021 (i.e. with the return of tourism after the Corona restrictions), there could be no question of a plague.
Instead, the incidents were “very artificially intensified,” State Secretary for European Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot told La Tribune. It seems clear to the government that a supposedly major problem has probably been exaggerated by propaganda from Russia.
Two fake messages – every second
The investigation found that images and videos of individual bed bugs were shared repeatedly, especially by certain fake accounts from Russia. “There was even an attempt to spread a false link between bed bug cases and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees,” Barrot continued. The panic about bed bugs is just the tip of the iceberg. Europe is currently confronted with a veritable deluge of Russian fake news.
As “Bild” reported, last year alone the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Germany counted up to 200,000 short messages per day spread on popular social media by so-called bots – i.e. automated fake accounts. This corresponds to approximately two messages per second.
Putin is endangering the stability and security of Europe
At the Élysée, Putin is seen as a clear threat to the stability and security of Europe, which is likely to extend far beyond Ukraine. According to French government circles, the Kremlin is currently doing everything it can to stoke fears of a terrorist attack at the Summer Olympics.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
