A German-Ukrainian woman was arrested in Berlin on Wednesday on suspicion of spying for Russia, including by passing on information on military aid to Ukraine, prosecutors said.
The suspect, partially named as Ilona W., had allegedly maintained intelligence contacts with the Russian embassy in Berlin since November 2023 or earlier, prosecutors said in a statement.
Ilona W. “compiled background information on participants in high-profile political events and gathered information on arms industry sites, drone tests and planned deliveries of drones to Ukraine,” prosecutors said.
She also allegedly used personal acquaintances who previously worked for Germany’s defence industry to gather information for Russian intelligence.
Prosecutors said she helped her Russian handler to use a false identity to attend political events in Berlin and establish useful contacts.
The Russian embassy in Berlin did not immediately respond to inquiries from AFP on Wednesday.
Two other unnamed suspects remain at large, according to prosecutors. The homes of Ilona W. and the other two suspects were raided by police on Wednesday morning.
The arrest comes as Germany and other governments across Europe are on high alert over instances of suspected Russian espionage, drone surveillance and sabotage activities such as cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns.
Moscow has repeatedly denied those allegations and instead accused the West of trying to undermine and destroy Russia.
Efforts by German authorities to root out suspected Russian spies have increased since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Germany is a major supplier of military aid to Ukraine and is among the European NATO powers that are sharply increasing defence spending to deter Russia.
The country is also a key logistical hub for NATO forces in Europe.
German authorities have repeatedly warned about agents supposedly recruited online to carry out tasks such as taking photos of key industrial and military sites.
More than €14,000 to pro-Russian militias
Also on Wednesday, German police arrested two men, a Russian and a German citizen, for allegedly funnelling cash and equipment to pro-Russian separatist militias fighting in eastern Ukraine.
One of the defendants, Suren A., is accused of transferring association funds totalling more than €14,000 to the militias and financing transport.
The second, Falko H., is said to have travelled to the Donbas several times, held talks with representatives of the groups there, coordinated deliveries and helped distribute the goods on site.
The two men are to be brought before the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice on Thursday, who will decide whether they should be remanded in custody.
Additional sources • AFP
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