Key facts
- Six Georgian nationals were sentenced in Paris for stealing rare Russian literary works.
- Sentences range from 18 months suspended to seven years imprisonment.
- Stolen items included first editions of works by Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, and Nikolai Gogol.
- The thieves replaced original volumes with undetectable facsimiles.
- The National Library of France reported losses of 770,000 euros.
- The thefts are part of a trend linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and may aim to repatriate Russian cultural heritage.
Six Georgian nationals have been sentenced in Paris to prison terms ranging from an 18-month suspended sentence to seven years for the organized theft of rare Russian literary works from prestigious libraries. The stolen items included first editions of works by Alexander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov, and Nikolai Gogol. The prosecutor described the thefts as a 'genuine theft of treasure' and a 'massive, organised operation'.
The case is part of a wave of thefts targeting libraries across Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, attributed to an organized network potentially linked to Moscow. The thieves meticulously photographed and measured rare works, replacing them with undetectable facsimiles. The National Library of France (BnF) alone reported losses estimated at 770,000 euros.
Two defendants, Mikheil Z. and Beqa T., were tried in absentia as they were already arrested in Georgia. Mikheil Z. received the heaviest sentence of seven years in prison and a permanent ban from French territory, having previously been convicted in Lithuania for similar offenses. Beqa T. was sentenced to four years, in addition to a prior sentence in Estonia.
French magistrates believe these thefts may be part of a broader effort to repatriate Russian cultural heritage amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Europe. The investigation, involving Europol and Eurojust, led to several arrests in 2024. None of the stolen works have been recovered, though the BnF remains hopeful of their return.