MUNICH, Germany — Two males have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia and gathering data on potential assault targets, together with U.S. navy services, authorities mentioned Thursday.
The German Federal Prosecutor’s workplace mentioned in an announcement that two German-Russian nationals — named solely as Dieter S. and Alexander J. according to the nation’s privateness guidelines — have been working with a Russian secret service agent to undermine worldwide navy assist for Ukraine.
Dieter S. is suspected to be a former fighter for pro-Kremlin forces in japanese Ukraine and is accused of creating preparations for an explosive or arson assault in Germany.
The lads have been arrested on Wednesday in Bayreuth, a metropolis within the southern state of Bavaria, by the Federal Prison Police Workplace
Their houses and workplaces have been searched by Bavarian state police. Some Ukrainian troopers have been coaching at U.S. navy installations on this a part of Bavaria.
Arrest warrants dated April 9 accuse each males of working for a overseas secret service and finishing up “exercise for sabotage functions” and for acquiring “security-threatening depictions of navy installations,” prosecutors mentioned.
The prosecutor’s assertion mentioned Dieter S. has been in contact with a “one that is linked to the Russian secret service” since Oct. 2023, with whom he mentioned potential sabotage operations in Germany.
“The actions have been meant particularly to undermine navy assist supplied to Ukraine from Germany in opposition to the Russian conflict of aggression,” the assertion mentioned.
“Towards this background, the accused said to his counterpart that he was prepared to make use of explosion and arson assaults particularly on infrastructure used for navy functions and industrial websites in Germany,” it added. “To arrange, Dieter S. collected details about potential assault targets, together with U.S. navy services,” it mentioned.
Authorities accused Dieter S. of going to a number of websites to take photographs and movies which have been handed on to his Russian secret service contact. In addition they allege that Alexander J. helped him from March this yr on the newest.
Dieter S. appeared in court docket Wednesday, the place he was positioned in pre-trial detention. Alexander J will seem in court docket on Thursday, authorities mentioned.
A separate arrest warrant dated April 11 accuses Dieter S. of membership of a overseas terrorist group and of “preparation of a severe act of violence that endangers the state.” This warrant notes the “sturdy suspicion” that he was lively as a pro-Russian solider in an armed wing of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Individuals’s Republic, partaking within the ongoing conflict for management of Ukraine.
Ukraine has lengthy warned that Russian spies have been lively throughout Europe and dealing to sabotage its protection in opposition to Russia’s invasion, particularly in Germany.
Oleksiy Danilov, the previous coordinator of Ukraine’s conflict cupboard, advised The Occasions of London final month: “We’ve made a number of warnings to our German companions concerning the spy community of Russians which can be very lively in Germany.”
He added: “It’s well-known the Russians are listening to conversations of German officers and we expect this isn’t the final dialog they have.”
Danilov was faraway from job and changed final month as a part of a navy shake-up by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Germany accused Russia of “data conflict” final month after Russian state media printed the audio of a personal dialogue amongst high-ranking German navy officers about assist for Ukraine, sparking embarrassment in Berlin and glee in Moscow.
Germany has turn into the second-biggest provider of weapons to Ukraine after the U.S., however the nation has been engaged in a fierce debate over whether or not it must be doing extra.
“We all know that the Russian energy equipment can be specializing in our nation,” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann wrote on X after the arrests, including that Germany “should react resolutely to this risk.”
“We are going to proceed to provide Ukraine huge assist and won’t let ourselves be intimidated,” Germany’s prime safety official, Inside Minister Nancy Faeser, mentioned in an announcement.
Carlo Angerer reported from Munich, and Patrick Smith from London.
