Was Russia behind train arson attacks?

A SERIES of "co-ordinated" arson attacks on France's high-speed rail network ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony yesterday increased fears of Russian plans to sabotage the Games.

- Stephen Beech

Sir Keir Starmer was among 800,000 people to be caught up in the travel chaos on both sides of the Channel.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister was meant to be travelling on the Eurostar to Paris for the ceremony but was forced to take a last-minute flight instead.

Last night Eurostar warned customers the disruption will continue, with one in four of its trains from London St Pancras being cancelled this weekend.

Meanwhile Paris prosecutors opened a criminal inquiry into "damaging French national interests" - an offence that carries a sentence of up to 20 years.

Jean de Gliniasty, the former French ambassador to Moscow, suggested Russia was to blame, saying: "We are obviously in a situation of conflict with Russia, and Russia is obviously not going to do anything - and that's an understatement to help these Olympic Games be a success."

While Jerome Poirot, a French terrorism expert, said yesterday afternoon: "We know that Russia and other countries want to interfere with the Olympic Games.

"There may be a plan in place to prevent the opening ceremony." Just three months ago French president Emmanuel Macron said he had no doubt that Russia - whose athletes are barred from the Games over Putin's invasion of Ukraine - would try to disrupt them in some way.

Last night a suspected Russian spy was in custody in the French capital accused of plotting to sabotage the Olympics.

Kirill Gryaznov, 40, has been charged with working "with a foreign power to try and incite hostilities in France", authorities say.

He was said to have boasted about turning the start of the Paris Olympics into "an opening ceremony like no other".