France, Russia
Russian interference in France: on the trail of a French Telegram disinformation ringmaster

By Nicolas Quénel

Published on 18.11.2024 at 05:00 GMT Reading time 5 min

View of the French city of Nantes through the Rings. Moscow's Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed in inset. © N. Bourreau/Presse Océan//A. Marchi/L'Est Républicain/MaxPPP - Montage Bénédicte Gouttebroze/Indigo Publications

Intelligence Online tracked down the elusive Frenchman behind a Moscow-funded Telegram channel, Fifth Republic, who publishes Kremlin propaganda from the city of Nantes in western France. The French domestic intelligence agency, DGSI, is keeping an eye on him.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

In order to ensure high-quality and independent journalism, Intelligence Online relies solely on subscriptions from its readers, with no advertising, no events and no consulting work.

Several offers are available depending on your particular reading needs

Consult our offers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

Discover our work by making use of the following possibilities: daily newsletters, a selection of free articles, keyword alerts.

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

create a free account

France, Russia
French dronemaker Alta Ares in Moscow's sights

The rise of French military AI and drone specialist Alta Ares has been accompanied by information attacks against the company, some of which are linked to Russian intelligence services.

Subscribers only Operations, Defence 26.11.2025

The Alta Ares stand at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget in 2025.

Russia, Ukraine
FSB sets sights on Russian nationalists emboldened by Ukraine conflict

Russia's domestic intelligence agency, which has been overstretched since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, is paying ever greater attention to activities of nationalist groups, several of which are active on the Ukrainian front.

Subscribers only Operations 19.09.2025

Volunteers from the Española special unit, a detachment of Russian hooligans, train near Mariupol on 22 June 2023.

France, Russia
French propagandist working for Moscow behind fake news of DGSI boss resignation

The rumoured departure of France's domestic intelligence boss Céline Berthon emerged on social media in July and gained momentum in France. Behind its spread is a French propagandist working in the Kremlin's interests.

Subscribers only Information Wars 03.09.2025

The Director of the DGSI (General Directorate for Internal Security), Céline Berthon.

Iran, Russia
Ares Leaks: the cybercrime group behind Russian and Iranian services' data leaks

Ares Leaks, which emerged in 2023, in June published around 20 photos of people mostly described as members of Iran's intelligence services. In April, the cybercriminal group also put FSB data up for sale at prices of up to $120,000.

Subscribers only Cybersecurity 07.07.2025

France
Prison sentence sought against ex-military intel officer in trial of French far-right conspirators

A former military intelligence officer and ex-diplomat is among 16 members of an alleged French far-right group being tried at the Paris Criminal Court. The organisation's plans to kill Muslims were foiled thanks to the DGSI's undercover operation, whose details were revealed at the trial which began on 10 June.

Subscribers only Operations 01.07.2025

France
Russian disinformation: Paris on the trail of a group of investigators close to Washington

A French report on a Russian disinformation operation dubbed Storm-1516 draws in part on investigations conducted by an anonymous account, whose publications stopped abruptly after Elon Musk's DOGE purged USAID.

Subscribers only Information Wars 13.05.2025

United States
Russian businessman hopes DoJ changes herald end to covert influence charges

Alexander Ionov recently hired a US lawyer to push back against charges of foreign influence, hailing changes at the Justice Department as a positive sign.

Subscribers only Corporate Intel 25.03.2025

New US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, announced in early February that Washington would roll back enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

France, Russia
Alesia Miloradovich sanctioned as supplier of French election observers to the Russian government

An employee of the Russian government, Miloradovich recruits international observers on behalf of Moscow from French political networks. She has just been placed on the EU's sanctions list.

Subscribers only Corporate Intel 20.12.2024

France
Cash-strapped DGSI marks tenth birthday without pizzazz

Rather than the expected lavish celebrations, staff of France's internal security service had to make do with drinks in the office to celebrate a decade of existence.

Subscribers only Defence 02.12.2024

The Agencies' Gazette
DGSE training camp revamp, Wagner hires for Africa, Xi's talk with Macron at G20, New military intelligence chief in Hanoi, Viginum awaits its hour against Baku

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

FranceDGSE to bring parachutist training centre up to scratch

RussiaWagner's Africa Corps is hiring

China/FranceXi and Macron to discuss Ukraine at G20 summit in Rio

VietnamPham Ngoc Hung closes 10-year chapter as military intelligence chief

FranceViginum awaits its hour against Baku

Subscribers only 11.11.2024

France
DGSI and DGSE briefing: French MPs caught between security demands and political needs

France's intelligence agencies briefed the country's MPs on the National Defence Committee on 18 September on what steps they should take in terms of foreign spies and manipulation, yet the guidance left many politicians in a quandary.

Subscribers only Agencies 20.09.2024

A parliamentary adviser at the French National Assembly during an intelligence briefing, Paris, 18 September 2024.

France
Emmanuel Macron, Pavel Durov and the DGSE: the secret story of France's failed attempt to turn Telegram founder

Durov's arrest in France last month caused a frenzy of media and diplomatic activity, but aside from the judicial aspect, the full story had, until now, not been revealed. Intelligence Online spoke to sources who have worked on the case, and they outline a failed operation to get him to switch allegiance.

Subscribers only Operations 09.09.2024

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, 23 February 2016.

France, Russia
Former Wagner interpreter living in limbo in France

Yaroslav Z, a former interpreter for the Russian paramilitary galaxy, has been a refugee in France for the past three years. Despite cooperating with the French authorities and receiving threats to his life, his request for asylum has so far been refused.

Subscribers only Agencies 23.07.2024

Yaroslav, whom we met in a small village in Brittany at the end of June, spent several months as an interpreter for the Wagner galaxy of private military companies.

Spotlight | France, Russia
Is GRU behind resurrection of French-Russian air squadron Normandie-Niémen?

Is the memory of the World War II squadron being exploited by Russian military propaganda? That's what is suggested in a video posted on Telegram by a Frenchman claiming to have brought it back as a unit for drone pilots.

Subscribers only Operations 14.05.2024

Members of the French air force's Normandie-Niémen regiment visit the Normandie-Niémen squadron museum in Moscow, Russia, 5 May 2010.

Russia
Russian military intel posing behind false flags to recruit sleeper agents in France

In anticipation of a possible escalation of its 'hybrid warfare' tactics on European territory, the GU is extending its campaign to recruit sources and destabilisation agents. The service is now targeting French security institutions.

Subscribers only Operations 29.04.2024

Spotlight | Africa, Russia
Wagner struggles to fill African vacancies

Two of the private military company's units in the Central African Republic are desperately short of fresh personnel. Intelligence Online is privy to recruitment efforts via closed chat groups on Telegram.

Subscribers only Operations 26.03.2024

Russian officers from the Wagner group in Central Africa, July 2023.

Russia, Ukraine
Kolossal versus Rybar: Kyiv and Moscow race to militarise OSINT

Ukraine and Russia are battling to see who can develop new interfaces for collecting and analysing open source intelligence (OSINT) that can prove decisive on the front line.

Subscribers only Cybersecurity 13.03.2024

The Agencies' Gazette
Canada's CSIS criticised, Zvinchuk hiring, NATO approaches Ukraine intelligence, CCP's candidate for Taiwan, Lahur Talabani spoils the party

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community, from Erbil to Ottawa via Saint Petersburg, Kyiv and Taipei.

Special offer: Only 0d and 10h to take advantage of it

Consult our offers

This offer is open to all new subscribers and runs until 12/06/2026

Headlines

EU border agency chief Hans Leijtens at the Bulgarian-Turkish border, on 29 February 2024.

Spotlight | European Union, Poland Plans for Frontex's Quick Reaction Force shaping up Spy Way of Life | South Sudan Antakya, a Turkish hub for parallel diplomacy in South Sudan

Antakya, a Turkish restaurant in Juba, South Sudan.

China, Taiwan Guoanbu doubles down on long-term clandestine operations in Taiwan France Intelligence master's course proves breeding ground for future industry pros France, Ukraine 3rd Azov Assault Brigade expected at Eurosatory

Headlines

Spotlight | European Union, Poland Plans for Frontex's Quick Reaction Force shaping up Spy Way of Life | South Sudan Antakya, a Turkish hub for parallel diplomacy in South Sudan

Donald Trump

Xi Jinping

Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud

G7

FSB

France, Russia Russian interference in France: on the trail of a French Telegram disinformation ringmaster

Intelligence Online tracked down the elusive Frenchman behind a Moscow-funded Telegram channel, Fifth Republic, who publishes Kremlin propaganda from the city of Nantes in western France. The French domestic intelligence agency, DGSI, is keeping an eye on him.

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

create a free account

Read also

France, Russia French dronemaker Alta Ares in Moscow's sights

Russia, Ukraine FSB sets sights on Russian nationalists emboldened by Ukraine conflict

France, Russia French propagandist working for Moscow behind fake news of DGSI boss resignation

Iran, Russia Ares Leaks: the cybercrime group behind Russian and Iranian services' data leaks

France Prison sentence sought against ex-military intel officer in trial of French far-right conspirators

France Russian disinformation: Paris on the trail of a group of investigators close to Washington

United States Russian businessman hopes DoJ changes herald end to covert influence charges

France, Russia Alesia Miloradovich sanctioned as supplier of French election observers to the Russian government

France Cash-strapped DGSI marks tenth birthday without pizzazz

The Agencies' Gazette DGSE training camp revamp, Wagner hires for Africa, Xi's talk with Macron at G20, New military intelligence chief in Hanoi, Viginum awaits its hour against Baku

FranceDGSE to bring parachutist training centre up to scratch

RussiaWagner's Africa Corps is hiring

China/FranceXi and Macron to discuss Ukraine at G20 summit in Rio

VietnamPham Ngoc Hung closes 10-year chapter as military intelligence chief

FranceViginum awaits its hour against Baku

France DGSI and DGSE briefing: French MPs caught between security demands and political needs

France Emmanuel Macron, Pavel Durov and the DGSE: the secret story of France's failed attempt to turn Telegram founder

France, Russia Former Wagner interpreter living in limbo in France

Spotlight | France, Russia Is GRU behind resurrection of French-Russian air squadron Normandie-Niémen?

Russia Russian military intel posing behind false flags to recruit sleeper agents in France

Spotlight | Africa, Russia Wagner struggles to fill African vacancies

Russia, Ukraine Kolossal versus Rybar: Kyiv and Moscow race to militarise OSINT

The Agencies' Gazette Canada's CSIS criticised, Zvinchuk hiring, NATO approaches Ukraine intelligence, CCP's candidate for Taiwan, Lahur Talabani spoils the party

Canada/ChinaCSIS at heart of tensions between Ottawa and Beijing

RussiaTelegram channel close to military intelligence is hiring

Ukraine/EuropeNATO boosts cooperation with security teams

TaiwanCCP sees ex-police officer Hou Yu-ih as best shot at presidency

IraqLahur Talabani throws spanner in election plans

Headlines

Related topics to this article

Headlines

Related topics to this article

About Intelligence Online

Subscription

Intelligence Online on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

France, Russia
Russian interference in France: on the trail of a French Telegram disinformation ringmaster

France, Russia
French dronemaker Alta Ares in Moscow's sights

Russia, Ukraine
FSB sets sights on Russian nationalists emboldened by Ukraine conflict

France, Russia
French propagandist working for Moscow behind fake news of DGSI boss resignation

Iran, Russia
Ares Leaks: the cybercrime group behind Russian and Iranian services' data leaks

France
Prison sentence sought against ex-military intel officer in trial of French far-right conspirators

France
Russian disinformation: Paris on the trail of a group of investigators close to Washington

United States
Russian businessman hopes DoJ changes herald end to covert influence charges

France, Russia
Alesia Miloradovich sanctioned as supplier of French election observers to the Russian government

France
Cash-strapped DGSI marks tenth birthday without pizzazz

The Agencies' Gazette
DGSE training camp revamp, Wagner hires for Africa, Xi's talk with Macron at G20, New military intelligence chief in Hanoi, Viginum awaits its hour against Baku

France
DGSI and DGSE briefing: French MPs caught between security demands and political needs

France
Emmanuel Macron, Pavel Durov and the DGSE: the secret story of France's failed attempt to turn Telegram founder

France, Russia
Former Wagner interpreter living in limbo in France

Spotlight | France, Russia
Is GRU behind resurrection of French-Russian air squadron Normandie-Niémen?

Russia
Russian military intel posing behind false flags to recruit sleeper agents in France

Spotlight | Africa, Russia
Wagner struggles to fill African vacancies

Russia, Ukraine
Kolossal versus Rybar: Kyiv and Moscow race to militarise OSINT

The Agencies' Gazette
Canada's CSIS criticised, Zvinchuk hiring, NATO approaches Ukraine intelligence, CCP's candidate for Taiwan, Lahur Talabani spoils the party