Le Figaro reports that four Moldovan-born men will stand trial in Paris for painting red coffins with slogans referring to the war in Ukraine across the city. Prosecutors say the graffiti was part of an attempt to demoralize the French army during peacetime.

According to Le Figaro, four men born in Moldova, aged 30, 36, 44 and 50, will be tried at the Paris criminal court on 23 February 2026. They are accused of creating graffiti depicting coffins with inscriptions referring to Russia's war in Ukraine. Prosecutors consider their actions an attempt to “demoralize the French army” and to damage public property committed in a group.

The men face charges of minor property damage and participation in a demoralization effort targeting the French defense in peacetime. The charge carries up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine. Two of the suspects remain under arrest warrants.

Graffiti campaign across Paris

According to Le Figaro and AFP reporting, the acts were committed between 18 and 20 June 2024. Around 1:30 a.m. on 20 June, police surprised two men: one was spray-painting a wall with a red stencil showing a coffin and the inscription “Stop the death now! Mriya Ukraine,” while the other was standing guard. Some tags were also marked just “Mriya,” meaning “dream” in Ukrainian.

The two Moldovan men told police they were paid €100 a day for painting the tags. Investigators identified a third Moldovan man who had recruited them and directed where to paint.