Two purported spies are being suspected of planning to sabotage the German military aid for Ukraine. They have been arrested in the southern German state of Bavaria.
The two men, wha are said to be dual German-Russian nationals, were detained in Bayreuth on the grounds of spying for Russia, according to prosecutors.
Dieter S, 39, is suspected of a string of spying offences which include plotting an explosion, arson and keeping contact with Russian intelligence.
Dieter is also being accused of fighting for a Russian proxy armed force in occupied eastern Ukraine.
The second suspect, identified as Alexander J, is being accused of aiding him since March to identify potential targets for attack. He will be appearing in court on Thursday.
Germany is the second largest donor of military aid to Ukraine after the US, coughing out about €28bn (£24bn) since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
According to prosecutors, the main suspect Dieter, is accused of having discussed potential sabotage operations in Germany with his Russian contact since October 2023 , in an attempt to sabotage its support for Ukraine.
They also allege that he had been preparing explosives and planninv arson attacks, particularly on military and industrial infrastructure.
Dieter is said to have spied on potential targets including in US military facilities, taking snapshots and videos and reporting back to the Russian contact.
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is currently on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, said on Thursday that he was there “at a period when Ukraine needed all the support it could get in its fight for freedom”.
Meanwhile, the government in Berlin is at the forefront of a plan to help bolster Ukraine’s air defences.
