The story is true. Yet none of the media publications mention the nationality of the perpetrators.
The pro-Russian social media spread the news that a group of Ukrainians was detained in Spain for attacking restaurants at night, stealing chairs and selling them. The absurd incident is presented by propagandists as «proof» that Ukrainian citizens abroad only harm society.
But this post is yet another fabrication of Russian propaganda. Although the story about the gang itself is true, not a single publication in the credible media mentions the nationality of the criminals. Spanish police have indeed reported that six men and a woman — members of a criminal gang — were detained in Madrid for stealing more than a thousand chairs worth about 60,000 euros from 18 restaurants in Madrid and the town of Talavera-de-la-Reina in August and September 2025. It is known that the thieves resold the loot in Spain, Romania, and Morocco. Thus, the police do not mention any connections between the gang and Ukraine.
This is not the first time that Russian propaganda has used real criminal or controversial incidents and simply added Ukrainians to the story. For example, last year we refuted the news that a Ukrainian refugee allegedly shot a Christian icon in Zurich. In fact, the woman turned out to be a Swiss politician with no connection to Ukraine. However, sometimes — such as with the report that Ukrainians allegedly desecrated a Berlin mosque — propaganda spreads completely made up stories to discredit Ukrainian citizens.
