German duo arrested for espionage on behalf of Russia amid Ukraine support
Deliveries of Western weapons to Ukraine have become a target for Russian intelligence services. German special forces arrested two individuals in Bavaria who were monitoring military factories and a US base where Ukrainian tank crews are trained. They also had plans to attack military transport routes.
18 April 2024 14:37
The main suspect is 39-year-old German and Russian citizen Dieter S, and his accomplice is 37-year-old Alexander J., who also holds dual citizenship and works for Russian intelligence - reports Der Spiegel.
Plans to disrupt transport routes
According to investigations, since October 2023, Dieter S. has been discussing sabotage actions in Germany with contacts from Russian special services. These discussions included plans for arson and attacks on military transport routes, defence companies, and industrial facilities. These planned attacks ultimately aimed to weaken German support for Ukraine.
Investigators found that Dieter S. was also involved in surveillance and photographing US military facilities in Germany. He expected to supply the relevant photos to his Russian contacts. The alleged spy was reportedly aided by 37-year-old Alexander J.
According to Der Spiegel, the spies also kept an eye on US military facilities in Germany, including the base in Bavarian Grafenwöhr, where Americans train Ukrainians to operate Abrams tanks.
Rise in Russian espionage activity
Dieter S. is well-trained: From 2014-2016, he served in the Donetsk People's Republic militia. Since the DRL militia is classified as a terrorist organization in Germany, Dieter S. has also been charged with association with a foreign terrorist organization.
This incident is not isolated in terms of Russian sabotage efforts in EU countries. Last year, a spy network was uncovered in Poland, with members gathering information on arms deliveries to Ukraine. According to Polish intelligence in November, the assignments of the 16 individuals included "identifying military facilities and critical infrastructure, tracking trains transporting military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and organizing their accidents".
In April this year, Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka disclosed to the Financial Times that Russia had made thousands of attempts to interfere with railway services in the Czech Republic over the past two years.
