Germany arrests alleged Russian spies scouting U.S. military facilities

Berlin — German authorities opportunity they person arrested 2 group suspected of spying for Russia. The suspects, identified arsenic German-Russian nationals, are accused of scouting targets for imaginable attacks, including U.S. subject accommodation successful Germany, nan Federal Public Prosecutor General for Karlsruhe said successful a statement released Thursday.

The arrests, made by constabulary successful nan Bavarian municipality of Bayreuth, travel amid precocious hostility betwixt Russia and nan West, much than 2 years aft President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia's ongoing penetration of Ukraine. 

The alleged spies' guidelines accused by Germany of moving to undermine nan subject support provided to Ukraine by Germany.

• Zelenskyy warns Putin will push Russia's warfare onto NATO ungraded if not stopped

The individuals — identified by nan German charismatic arsenic Dieter S. and Alexander J. — allegedly person ties to a Russian intelligence work and are accused of gathering accusation astir imaginable targets for sabotage operations. 

Dieter S. is accused of being successful interaction pinch a personification connected to a Russian concealed work since October 2023, discussing plans for attacks connected subject infrastructure and business sites successful Germany. He reportedly scouted retired immoderate of nan targeted sites successful person, gathering photos and videos. 

The detainees besides scoped retired imaginable targets for attacks, including accommodation of nan U.S. Army successful Germany, nan charismatic said.

A 2022 record image shows U.S. and German flags successful beforehand of an armored fighting conveyance astatine nan Grafenwoehr subject training area successful Bavaria, Germany, wherever U.S. troops person been training Ukrainian forces to usage American weapons. Reuters

Dieter S. allegedly expressed readiness to transportation retired explosive and arson attacks connected subject and business sites successful Germany. The mentation progressive gathering accusation connected imaginable targets, pinch Alexander J. assisting since March 2024, and sharing nan accusation pinch his Russian contact.

Both suspects' homes and workplaces were searched. An further apprehension warrant was issued for Dieter S. connected suspicion of affiliation pinch nan overseas violent statement DPR — nan Russian-backed de-facto authority successful nan occupied eastbound Ukrainian region of Donetsk, which calls itself nan Donetsk People's Republic.

According to an investigation by German mag Der Spiegel, nan 2 suspects were spying connected subject sites that included U.S. subject accommodation successful Grafenwoehr, Bavaria. Grabfenwoehr is an important training site, wherever U.S. forces person been helping to train Ukrainian soldiers to usage U.S.-made Abrams tanks.

The arrests person raised interest astir nan grade of Russian espionage activities successful Germany. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned nan suspected espionage arsenic a "particularly superior case" and emphasized Germany's committedness to supporting Ukraine, contempt intimidation attempts.

Nancy Faeser, Germany's Federal Minister of nan Interior, gives a connection successful Saarbraken astir 2 suspected agents pinch links to Russia who person been arrested successful Bavaria, April 18, 2024. Harald Tittel/picture alliance/Getty

Politicians person called for a decisive consequence to nan threat posed by Russian agents operating successful Germany. Konstantin von Notz, nan Green Party lawman leader and caput of nan intelligence power committee successful nan Bundestag, Germany's parliament, said a guidance would beryllium necessary if nan allegations are proven true.

The arrests successful Bavaria echoed incidents successful Poland successful March 2023, wherever authorities said they had dismantled a Russian spy web that was aiming to sabotage Western arms deliveries to Ukraine.

Among nan suspects were individuals pinch criminal backgrounds and refugees from eastbound Ukraine. Polish officials said nan Russian subject intelligence work GRU had encouraged nan individuals to instal cameras on railway lines utilized to transportation weapons and different supplies to Ukraine. Another scheme appeared to impact acts of sabotage, including nan derailment of trains by Russian agents.

Since nan opening of Russia's penetration of Ukraine, nan Bundeswehr has received regular reports of suspicious drone activity complete barracks wherever Ukrainian soldiers acquisition training successful nan country, and nan number of these incidents has risen sharply. 

There were 172 reports of suspected drones flying astir barracks during nan full of 2022, subject officials said. In 2023, location were 446 reported sightings. 

The Russian authorities had not responded Friday to nan allegations against nan 2 individuals successful Germany. The country's ambassador was summoned by nan Federal Foreign Office successful Berlin successful consequence to nan incident.

In:
• War
• Spying
• Ukraine
• Russia
• Vladimir Putin
• U.S. Army
• European Union
• NATO
• Germany