‘Operation Pushkin’: Paris Trial Puts Spotlight on Rare-Book Heists
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Six Georgian defendants are on trial in Paris for conspiring to steal over 170 rare Russian literary works, mainly by Alexander Pushkin, from prominent European libraries.
- The stolen works, valued at nearly $3 million, were taken from libraries across multiple countries, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland.
- The defendants allegedly traveled Europe using fake identities and falsified library cards to study, photograph, and replace rare manuscripts with fakes over a two-year period.
- The trial follows a 2024 European law enforcement operation that arrested several individuals linked to the theft network, highlighting the organized nature of the book heist ring.
- The case underscores the cultural and historical significance of the stolen works, many of which are considered priceless treasures of Russian literary heritage.