Bedbug panic ‘could have been spread by Russia’ French intelligence suggests

Russians accused of lying about sanctions on their chemicals causing bedbugs to thrive

The bedbug panic that swept across France may have been amplified by Russian state actors spreading fake reports over social media, it is claimed.

Sources in the French military have said they are“convinced” Russians fueled the fear of the blood-sucking critters by posting fake news that sanctions were somehow to blame for the itchy epidemic.

The bogus articles were shared across social media, alleging that essential Russian chemicals were needed to create insecticides but with imports banned due to sanctions, France was left helpless against the insect invasion.

Pest control firms have said that the spread of bedbugs is ‘out of control’ (Richard Naylor/PA) (PA Media)

Other posts highlighted to French TV station RNC by military sources, said that “the anti-bedbug agent used in furniture and most wood materials is made in Russia “and that due to sanctions imposed on this substance”, spraying had stopped.

The fake reports repeatedly cite La Montagne as the source of this assertion, often by sharing a screenshot of an article allegedly published by the media outlet, which dates from October 4, and is titled “Sanctions against Russia have led to an epidemic of bedbugs in Paris”.

Have you been affected by bed bugs? Email barney.davis@indpendent.co.uk

La Montagne told AFP Factuel they had never published such an article, and denounced the fake articles on social media as “forgery”.

A spokesperson for the CS3D, the union of pest control hygiene players, stressed the union’s concerns about bugs in France “easily go back three or four years”.

Collage of fake news articles blaming Russian sanctions for the rise of bedbugs (AFP)

“Bed bugs have been present [in France] for many years now, so they were already there when the conflict started a year ago, ” Stéphane Bras told AFP.

Nicolas Roux de Bézieux, co-founder of the Badbugs site, which connects individuals with pest control professionals, added: “The mistake [is] to believe that the increase in bedbugs is strong and sudden. In reality, it has been constant and gradual for years.”

Footage of the blood-sucking insects has horrified TikTok users, leading to some standing on the infested Parisian metro instead of sitting on the fabric seats, or posting warnings about the creepy critters swarming all over Airbnb rentals.

Concerns spread to London when it was revealed that with a typical lifespan of 4-6 months and a penchant for hitching rides in dirty suitcases, bedbugs can easily survive a 2hr 16min trip on the Eurostar from the City of Love.

The Independent asked David Cain, founder and MD of Bed Bugs LTD and a qualified microbiologist, whether the bugs could survive the journey.

He said: “Easily, yes, without a shadow of a doubt. I have known people go on day trips to Paris, not even staying in hotels or other high-risk activities, and come back with them. Paris has been a popular link for the last six years.

“Business is already booming. I started doing this in 2005, when bedbugs were rare and obscure, but [they are] not any more.

“If everyone had listened to me in 2006 and started a public education campaign, this wouldn’t be happening.”