Germany arrests 2 alleged Russian spies accused of scouting U.S. army amenities for sabotage

Berlin — German authorities say they’ve arrested two folks suspected of spying for Russia. The suspects, recognized as German-Russian nationals, are accused of scouting targets for potential assaults, together with U.S. army amenities in Germany, the Federal Public Prosecutor Common for Karlsruhe mentioned in a press release launched Thursday.

The arrests, made by police within the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, come amid excessive pressure between Russia and the West, greater than two years after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 

The alleged spies’ stand accused by Germany of working to undermine the army assist offered to Ukraine by Germany.

The people — recognized by the German prosecutor as Dieter S. and Alexander J. — allegedly have ties to a Russian intelligence service and are accused of gathering details about potential targets for sabotage operations. 

Dieter S. is accused of being involved with an individual linked to a Russian secret service since October 2023, discussing plans for assaults on army infrastructure and industrial websites in Germany. He reportedly scouted out a few of the focused websites in individual, gathering images and movies. 

The detainees additionally scoped out potential targets for assaults, together with amenities of the U.S. Military in Germany, the prosecutor mentioned.

Dieter S. allegedly expressed readiness to hold out explosive and arson assaults on army and industrial websites in Germany. The preparation concerned gathering info on potential targets, with Alexander J. helping since March 2024, and sharing the knowledge together with his Russian contact.

Each suspects’ properties and workplaces have been searched. An extra arrest warrant was issued for Dieter S. on suspicion of affiliation with the international terrorist group DPR — the Russian-backed de-facto authority within the occupied jap Ukrainian area of Donetsk, which calls itself the Donetsk Individuals’s Republic.

In response to an investigation by German journal Der Spiegel, the 2 suspects have been spying on army websites that included U.S. army amenities in Grafenwoehr, Bavaria. Grabfenwoehr is a vital coaching website, the place U.S. forces have been serving to to coach Ukrainian troopers to make use of U.S.-made Abrams tanks.

The arrests have raised concern concerning the extent of Russian espionage actions in Germany. German Inside Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the suspected espionage as a “notably severe case” and emphasised Germany’s dedication to supporting Ukraine, regardless of intimidation makes an attempt.

Politicians have referred to as for a decisive response to the risk posed by Russian brokers working in Germany. Konstantin von Notz, the Inexperienced Social gathering deputy chief and head of the intelligence management committee within the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, mentioned a response could be obligatory if the allegations are confirmed true.

The arrests in Bavaria echoed incidents in Poland in March 2023, the place authorities mentioned they’d dismantled a Russian spy community that was aiming to sabotage Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Among the many suspects have been people with felony backgrounds and refugees from jap Ukraine. Polish officers mentioned the Russian army intelligence service GRU had inspired the people to put in cameras alongside railway strains used to hold weapons and different provides to Ukraine. One other plan appeared to contain acts of sabotage, together with the derailment of trains by Russian brokers.

For the reason that starting of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Bundeswehr has obtained common stories of suspicious drone exercise over barracks the place Ukrainian troopers endure coaching within the nation, and the variety of these incidents has risen sharply. 

There have been 172 stories of suspected drones flying round barracks throughout the entire of 2022, army officers mentioned. In 2023, there have been 446 reported sightings. 

The Russian authorities had not responded Friday to the allegations in opposition to the 2 people in Germany. The nation’s ambassador was summoned by the Federal International Workplace in Berlin in response to the incident.