Russian spies target arms for Ukraine in Germany
GERMAN police have arrested two suspected Russian agents who were allegedly planning sabotage attacks on US military bases and attacks on weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
The two Russian-german spies were arrested on Wednesday morning in the town of Bayreuth, prosecutors disclosed yesterday morning.
It is the latest in a string of espionage scandals to shock the country – a German intelligence officer is currently on trial in a separate case for allegedly passing information to Moscow.
The main suspect in the Bavaria case has been identified only as Dieter S, a 39-year-old German-russian citizen. He is accused of acting as an agent for Moscow, attempted sabotage and “depicting” military facilities in a way that puts national security at risk.
A statement released by federal prosecutors states that the pair were “strongly suspected of having worked for a foreign secret service” with Dieter S suspected of being “prepared to carry out explosives and arson attacks”.
Prosecutors said he had been in contact with an individual linked to the Russian secret service since October last year and that he had agreed to carry out attacks on industrial sites, weapons factories, and military infrastructure. His apparent goal was to target transport routes in Germany used to move arms, such as those being sent to support the Ukrainian army.
Dieter S allegedly scouted US military facilities in Grafenwöhr, Bavaria, such as an area which provides training to Ukrainian soldiers, including on the use of the US Abrams tank.
“Dieter S collected information about potential attack targets, including US military facilities,” federal prosecutors said. “Dieter S scouted out some of the targeted objects on site, taking photos and videos, for example of military transport and goods.”
Dieter S’s alleged accomplice was identified only as Alexander J.
Dieter S faced judges in Karlsruhe on Wednesday and was taken into custody. The suspects’ lawyers did not comment on the accusations, according to Der Spiegel, the German magazine which broke news of the arrests.
Both suspects are members of the Donetsk People’s Republic, prosecutors said, the pro-russian group designated as a foreign terror organisation.
The German intelligence officer on trial for passing state secrets to Russia has insisted he is innocent, claiming he was working in Berlin’s security interests.