As the world turns its gaze toward the opening day of the Paris Olympics, an unexpected shadow has been cast over the celebrations. France’s high-speed railway network has been hit with a devastating blow just hours before the opening ceremony. According to recent reports from local media, in a series of coordinated attacks, arsonists have targeted critical infrastructures in France. On the other hand, it has come to light that hackers have launched a major cyber offensive, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and chaos rippling through the whole nation. 

Such sabotage has not only disrupted travel but has also sparked outrage and fear among fans and citizens alike. The city of Paris now also houses thousands of athletes, and guests from all across the globe who are waiting to witness the 2024 Olympics glory. Fans are now questioning the security and preparedness of such a globally significant event. And amid the smoke and digital wreckage, speculation and blame are rapidly circulating. Many across social media are pointing fingers at Russia, accusing it of orchestrating these attacks.

The timing of this string of attacks cannot be any more critical for a nation to cope with such a massive security breach. According to France 24, prosecutors have launched an investigation into the attacks, which they have termed “criminal acts” against the country. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on his X handle: “Our intelligence services and law enforcement are mobilised to find and punish the perpetrators of these criminal acts.” He added that the attacks were “prepared and coordinated acts of sabotage against (rail operator) SNCF’s installations” with “huge and serious consequences for the rail network.”

While authorities haven’t named any suspects in the incidents, netizens are putting the blame on Russia who are banned from the 2024 Olympic Games. Alongside Belarus, Russia is not participating in the Paris Olympics. The IOC issued the ban alleging the country’s state-sponsored doping efforts besides the nation’s involvement in the Ukraine war. The palpable anger and frustration are being echoed across social media, where fans express their dismay and demand answers. 

Fans lash out as sabotage threatens Paris Olympics dreams

Amid the excitement of the opening ceremony, tension looms in Paris over the arson and cyber attacks. The comment section of the post from Visegrád 24, which initially reported the incident, has been flooded with the opinions of fans.

Suspecting the involvement of Russia, under President Vladimir Putin’s leadership, one comment read, “I smell Putin”. Such a sentiment might be fueled by ongoing geopolitical tensions and the timing of the attacks, which coincide with the opening day of the Paris Olympics, causing widespread disruption and outrage. Furthermore, tracing back to Russian cyber warfare history, the country was accused of launching a cyber weapon, ‘Ouroboros’, that impacted Ukrainian government systems back in 2014. 

Amid the widespread suspicion and frustration among the public, another netizen blamed Russia for the sabotage due to its alleged political history. “Of course it’s russia. Who else are we daft enough to open our borders to that has such a terrorist network & free reign to use it across Europe”, read the X comment. The fan shared their personal opinion and mentioned that Europe’s openness to Russia has enabled such threats, exacerbating fears and anger as the Paris Olympics could further face disruptions. 

“This is no doubt the work of russian agents. Clearly not all of them were caught. Make no mistake, russia considers themselves to be at war with us. And they act like it”, wrote one X user. They accused Russian agents of orchestrating the arson attacks on France’s high-speed railway network. The fans’ sentiments might be rooting back to the previous incidents of Russia being involved in various cyber-attacks. A report from the National Cyber Security Centre suggested that back in February 2022, the UK and international allies announced that Russia was allegedly a force behind cyber attacks targeting commercial communications company, Viasat. This was just before Russia invaded Ukraine. 

A report from AlJazeera dating back to May 2024 reflects on how Germany spoke against Russia for fueling a ‘state-sponsored’ cyber attack on members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Reflecting on such similar incidents one fan shared a personal opinion, “Russia was caught red-handed preparing for this sort of thing.” However, such a claim from the netizen, remains unverified, and there is no concrete evidence to support these allegations at this time.

As authorities scramble to restore order and investigate the culprits behind this brazen act of sabotage, the opening celebrations are overshadowed by a deepening sense of vulnerability. Such an incident, just hours before the D day reminds us of the ever-present threat of cyber and physical terrorism in our interconnected world.