The judges in France have sentenced four Bulgarian men for vandalizing the Holocaust memorial in Paris, an action considered part of a hybrid warfare operation orchestrated by Russia.

They were found guilty of conspiracy, and the judge emphasized that the vandalism aimed to stir public opinion and deepen social divisions. The action involved marking the memorial with 35 red hands, being the first case among the nine investigated by the French authorities. The four men, who admitted their involvement, denied anti-Semitic motives and links to Russia. Sentences ranged from two to four years in prison, and all received a lifetime ban from entering France. The director of the memorial stated that the vandalism was a "shock" for Holocaust survivors.