German prosecutors have charged three Russian-German nationals for acting as secret service agents for Russia.
The individuals, named Dieter S., Alexander J., and Alex D., have been accused of working for a foreign secret service. Dieter S. is also alleged to have participated in sabotage operations as well as taking pictures of military installations with an aim to endanger national security.
Dieter S. was originally arrested by the Federal Criminal Police Office (aka Bundeskriminalamt or BKA) alongside Alexander J. on espionage charges. In late October 2024, Dieter S. was also charged with being a fighter of an armed unit of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
According to the Office of the Federal Prosecutor (aka Generalbundesanwalt), Dieter S. was in contact with an individual who belonged to the Russian secret service and was also part of the armed unit of DPR.
“From October 2023, Dieter S. exchanged information with the person about possible sabotage actions in the Federal Republic of Germany,” the Generalbundesanwalt said. “The actions were intended in particular to undermine the military support provided by Germany to Ukraine against the Russian war of aggression.”
Besides expressing his willingness to carry out explosive and arson attacks on military infrastructure and industrial sites, Dieter S. pledged to conduct sabotage activities against railway lines used for the transport of military goods.
In preparation for these attacks, the defendant collected information about potential targets in Bavaria, including U.S. military facilities, a loading station in Upper Palatinate, and a tool manufacturing company. He was assisted in his efforts by Alexander J. and Alex D. no later than March 2024.
“Dieter S. scouted out some of the targeted objects on site, taking photos and videos, for example of military transports and goods,” prosecutors said, adding the intelligence information was then passed on to his contact.
The development comes as the Generalbundesanwalt filed charges against a Turkish citizen named Mehmet K. on suspicion of working for the Turkish secret service. In early November 2024, a U.S. national Martin D. was also arrested on similar charges.
“Martin D. worked until recently for the U.S. armed forces in Germany,” the officials said. “In 2024, he contacted Chinese government agencies and offered to transmit sensitive information from the U.S. military for forwarding to a Chinese intelligence service. He had obtained the information in question in the course of his work with the U.S. armed forces.”
Prior to that, a Chinese citizen Yaqi X. was arrested for transmitting information to an employee of a Chinese intelligence service. Yaqi X., who worked for a company that provides logistics services at Leipzig/Halle Airport, gathered data about flights, cargo, and passengers, specifically focusing on armaments and personnel with ties to a German defense company.
The information was shared with Jian G., who was previously apprehended by law enforcement in early 2024. The intelligence gathering activity took place between mid-August 2023 and mid-February 2024, the Generalbundesanwalt said.
