Ahead of the opening of the Paris Olympics, there were several coordinated attacks on French high-speed trains. According to French Transport Minister Patrice Vigret, the attacks paralyzed rail traffic throughout the weekend. The perpetrators cut and set fire to optical cables running near the tracks, which transmit safety information (such as red lights) to drivers.
Even on 28 July, the disruption caused by the sabotage could only be partially restored. On the Atlantic line (Brittany and the western and south-western regions), nine out of ten high-speed trains (TGV) were already running that afternoon.
However, due to the extent of the damage, major repairs were needed on the high-speed northern line, and traffic was restricted until July 28, with seven out of ten trains running, with delays of one or two hours. The director of the French national railway company (SNCF), Jean-Pierre Farandou, said on Sunday that everything on the network would be restored by Monday.
French authorities are paying more attention to high-speed railways.
Regarding the actions against the railway company, Patrice Vergret, the French Minister of Transport, said that the cost of the attacks was “very likely” to reach several million euros. He added that in order to strengthen surveillance of the 8,000-kilometre high-speed train network, 250 railway security officers and 50 drones would be deployed, and the gendarmerie would carry out regular surveillance by helicopter.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far, but a far-left activist was arrested on Monday at the SNCF site, where car access keys, cutting tools and a set of public keys were found.
The communications network was also attacked.
It also emerged on Monday that France's telecommunications network had also been targeted by saboteurs, causing disruptions in six regions. Long-distance optical cables were damaged in the attacks, but Orange, the Olympics supplier, was unaffected.
“I condemn these cowardly and irresponsible actions in the strongest possible terms,” said Digital Minister Marina Ferrari on Monday morning. “I thank the teams that have been mobilised this morning to carry out repairs and restore service to the affected sites.
150 people were arrested.
According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the far-left extremists may have been encouraged by people whose names have not yet been revealed. He added that the attacks were precise and well-targeted. The Interior Minister confirmed this to France 2 television.
An estimated 150 people were arrested,
Who wanted to carry out subversive or extremist demonstrations in Paris during the first events of the Olympic Games, wrote guardian.
Could Russia be behind the attacks?
French authorities have not officially confirmed that the Russians are behind the attacks, but have received threats from hacking groups backed by the Russian state.
Another sign pointing to Russia is the arrest of a Russian man who could face up to 30 years in prison on charges of “conducting intelligence with a foreign power with the aim of inciting hostilities in France,” she added. NBC.
According to the Kremlin, the fake news is that Russia has a connection to the sabotage operations against the French railway network, according to the MTI report.
He added that Russia rejects and considers as groundless the speculations in the Western press that it has a connection to the acts of sabotage committed against the French high-speed rail network, which caused chaos in railway traffic on the opening day of the Olympic Games. on monday Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Recently, not only small, but also prestigious Western media are able to do anything to discredit Russia, when they hold it responsible for any event, although they have no evidence.
The spokesman added.
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