After the heist of the Louvre Museum on Oct. 19, pro-Russian channels spread fake information that Paris police detained two Ukrainians for conducting this crime. Our fact-check department debunked it.
Museum exhibits that were stolen from the Apollo Gallery in the Louvre were valued at €88 million according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau. After the theft, posts with photos that seem to depict police detaining two Ukrainians for the museum heist appeared online. They were shared, in particular, on Telegram, as well as on social media platforms X and Facebook.
“French police detained two Ukrainian refugees for robbing the Louvre.”
About the Louvre heist
The theft at the world-famous museum took less than 240 seconds and was carried out by four unarmed individuals. They entered the Apollo Gallery, and, according to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, targeted nine items. The thieves stole eight of them. They dropped the ninth — the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie, — during their escape.
Analysis
We noticed that the word “Policja” on the officers’ uniforms is written in Polish, while Russian-language posts claimed that French police made the arrests.
A reverse image search revealed the true origin of the images. They indeed show two Ukrainians who, on the night of Oct. 9–10, attempted to steal a tractor while intoxicated in Opole Lubelskie, Poland, as reported by Polish media and the police.
According to a post published by the Lublin police on Facebook on Oct. 13, two Ukrainian citizens, aged 19 and 22, attempted to steal a tractor parked among raspberry bushes on an unfenced property. They were charged with attempted theft.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Oct. 26, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office announced that “investigators from the BRB (Brigade for the Repression of Banditry) made arrests on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 25. One of the arrested men was preparing to leave the country from Roissy Airport.” In her statement, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not confirm the number of people detained, adding that “it is too early to provide any details.”
The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement investigating potential links to organized criminal groups and the possible involvement of museum employees.
So, the claim that Ukrainians were arrested in France on Oct. 20 for robbing the Louvre is false. It was part of a broader Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Ukrainian refugees abroad.
Conclusion: Fake
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