Red Hands in Paris: A Small Act of Vandalism in a Big Russian Strategy

Russian intelligence directed an operation in Paris where operatives vandalized the Shoah Memorial with red handprints. This act of vandalism was part of a broader Russian strategy to sow confusion and undermine social cohesion in France through information warfare. A subsequent trial revealed a traditional, hierarchical intelligence network, indicating Russia's ability to adapt its methods for different missions. The operation was also marked by extreme recklessness, as the operatives used their real identities and were quickly caught, a tactic that suggests a deliberate use of expendable individuals to ensure plausible deniability.