Russian chef and spy busted with plan to destabilize Paris Olympics

French authorities arrested a Russian chef and spy who had been residing in Paris earlier this week after he had been allegedly attempting to destabilize the Summer Olympics in the French capital.

Kirill Gryaznov, 40, was arrested on charges of attempting “to incite hostilities in France,” according to the Insider, with a phone call intercepted by French authorities specifically mentioning the opening ceremony, which will be held on the Seine on Friday.

The report suggests that Gryaznov, who has lived in Paris for more than a decade, has used his chef persona as a cover while he has worked for the FSB, Russia’s intelligence agency, according to documents obtained by French investigators.

He had been tight-lipped on the alleged plot against the Summer Olympics, until he told neighbors while drunk that he was on special assignment to disrupt the opening ceremony, according to witnesses. When the neighbors did not believe him, he then showed them his FSB identification card as further proof.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that authorities in France had blocked roughly 1,000 people from attending the Olympics under suspension of spying.

Russia is banned from the 2024 Summer Olympics due to its 2022 invasion and war in Ukraine. Some Russian athletes have been permitted to participate in the Games as Individual Neutral Athletes, so long as they do not actively support Russia’s war.

The opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics is expected to begin at 1 p.m. EDT, with NBC broadcasting the ceremony in the United States. It will be the first Olympic opening ceremony held outside of a stadium, as the Seine provides the backdrop for the celebration.