Boing Boing

Boing Boing

Penis theft panic in Africa reveals Russian propaganda campaign against France

Ellsworth Toohey
Jun 30, 2025
∙ Paid
4
3
Share

DenisProduction.com/shutterstock.com

"Your penis disappears after a handshake" — this startling claim spread across the Central African Republic in 2024, causing riots and forcing government denials. But what began as a street-level panic transformed into an international propaganda scheme when pro-Russian media blamed France for orchestrating supernatur…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Boing Boing to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Happy Mutants LLC
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture