A waxwork determine of French President Emmanuel Macron has been stolen from a museum in Paris by environmental activists who disguised themselves as workers.
Greenpeace activists entered the Grevin Museum posing as vacationers earlier than altering their garments, protecting the statue with a blanket and taking it out by an emergency exit, a police supply informed French information company AFP.
The waxwork later reappeared exterior the Russian embassy, the place activists denounced Macron’s angle in direction of French corporations that proceed to do enterprise with Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Macron has been certainly one of Kyiv’s most vocal supporters and has been a number one determine in European efforts to safe a ceasefire.
Footage confirmed activists putting the waxwork in entrance of the embassy alongside indicators and placards.
No arrests have been made and the waxwork, value a reported €40,000 (£33,765; $45,674), has not but been recovered.
Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France, informed AFP that Paris was “enjoying a double sport” in supporting Ukraine whereas permitting French corporations to proceed with gasoline and fertiliser imports from Russia.
He mentioned Macron “embodies this double discourse” and “must be the primary” amongst European leaders to finish commerce contracts with Russian corporations.
Evaluation by the BBC in Might confirmed Russia has continued to make billions from fossil gasoline exports to the West, together with to the EU.
Russia had made greater than €883bn (£740bn; $973bn) in income from fossil gasoline exports because the begin of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, together with €228bn from nations which have sanctioned it, based on the Centre for Analysis on Vitality and Clear Air (CREA).
The lion’s share, €209bn (£176bn; $238bn), got here from EU member states – of that determine, €17.9bn (£15.1bn; $20.4bn) got here from France.
Russian estimates say gasoline exports to Europe rose by as much as 20% in 2024, with liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) exports reaching file ranges. At the moment, half of Russia’s LNG exports go the EU, CREA says.
In addition to providing navy assist to Kyiv, France has additionally imposed a lot of sanctions on Russia and Russian people because the conflict in Ukraine started.
Macron has additionally warned of additional sanctions on Moscow if it doesn’t co-operate in efforts to barter a ceasefire.
