Fake information is spreading on social media about the alleged detention of two Ukrainian refugees for involvement in a high-profile robbery at the Louvre that supposedly took place on October 19, 2025.

This was reported by StopFake.

Russian accounts are posting messages with photos of two men in handcuffs, claiming that they were responsible for stealing nine valuable items from the so-called Napoleon collection. However, these images have nothing to do with the investigation by French police.

The photos show two Ukrainian citizens who were detained by Polish law enforcement on the night of October 9–10 in the town of Opole Lubelskie. The men were intoxicated and attempted to steal a tractor from a private yard. This is confirmed not only by accompanying reports in Polish media, but also by the police uniforms – the images clearly show the word “POLICJA”, indicating that it was the Polish police, not the French authorities.

French police, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, the French Ministry of Culture, and leading global news agencies have not reported the detention of Ukrainian citizens in connection with any robbery at the Louvre.

Disinformation experts note that this fake story is being actively spread through pro-Russian Telegram channels and other resources linked to Russian propaganda. Such campaigns are part of a systematic effort to discredit Ukrainian refugees abroad and to create a negative image of Ukrainians in EU countries. Their goal is to provoke distrust and hostility among local populations, thereby increasing social tensions.