According to French intelligence services, Russia has fueled the panic over the bedbug plague. Reported outbreaks in subways and cinemas have dominated headlines in our southern neighbors for weeks.
In recent weeks, reports of the presence of the blood-sucking insects have been made throughout France, and in particular in the region around Paris: they have appeared in cinemas, trains, in the metro or at Charles de Gaulle airport. Although not all of these cases have been proven.
The French government held an emergency meeting earlier this month and Transport Minister Clement Beaune promised to deploy sniffer dogs on trains to check for the presence of the bed bugs.
LOOK. Bed bugs crawl around on subway seats in Paris
Over the past five years, more than one in ten households in France are said to have suffered from bedbugs. However, officials insist there is no scientific evidence of an explosion in bedbugs and that images on social media do not necessarily indicate a growing number. “There is no increase in the number of cases on public transport,” said Minister Beaune, who warned against panic and fear. “It is taken seriously and every reported case is monitored.”
While experts say that global warming and the recovery of international tourism have led to an increase in these insects, others suggest that the current hysteria is indeed blown out of proportion and the outbreak is insignificant.
In this context, French intelligence services, quoted by radio station RMC, state that they have strong suspicions that Russia is trying to stoke fear by spreading false news reports on social media, which appear to come from respected French news sources.
For example, the French news agency ‘AFP’ was already able to detect a number of fake messages. The first article, purportedly published by the regional newspaper ‘La Montagne’, claimed that effective (Russian) insecticides normally used to contain the pest are now unable to be deployed due to EU sanctions against Russia. The article was translated into several languages.
Another fake article was allegedly written by the French newspaper ‘Libération’ and distributed by a Telegram account linked to the Russian propaganda channel Russia Today. It claimed that Ukrainian refugees were responsible for the increase in bed bugs. Similar fake news was also attributed to ‘Le Figaro’.
While Russia may have stoked fears about the bedbugs, French intelligence services do not see Russia as the instigator of the panic. The country is “surfing on the wave of panic” and fanning it as part of its “hybrid war” against the West.
After bedbug invasion in Paris: what about us? “Government must intervene before it is too late” (+)
“Bed bugs crawl into your suitcase and can become a real pest at home”: what can you do about it? (+)
LOOK. You can do this against bed bugs
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.