Russian activist Vladimir Osechkin is living under police protection in France, with authorities believing Russia has attempted to target him.

Axar.az reports, citing The Associated Press, that court documents indicate Russian individuals carried out surveillance near his home in 2025, in what is suspected to be preparation for an assassination attempt.

Similar alleged plots have been disrupted or investigated across Europe, including in Lithuania, Germany, Poland, and Spain, targeting activists, military figures, and supporters of Ukraine, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Western intelligence officials told AP that such operations have increased since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with targets now extending beyond defectors to include activists and pro-Ukraine figures.