Two men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia and collecting information on potential attack targets, including U.S. military facilities, authorities said Thursday.
The German Federal Prosecutor's office said in a statement that two German-Russian nationals — named only as Dieter S. and Alexander J. in line with the country's privacy rules — were working with a Russian secret service agent to undermine international military support for Ukraine.
Dieter S. is suspected to be a former fighter for pro-Kremlin forces in eastern Ukraine and is accused of making arrangements for an explosive or arson attack in Germany.
The German Foreign Ministry confirmed that it it had on Thursday summoned the Russian ambassador to Berlin in light of the arrests.
The men were arrested on Wednesday in Bayreuth, a city in the southern state of Bavaria, by the Federal Criminal Police Office
Their homes and workplaces were searched by Bavarian state police. Some Ukrainian soldiers have been training at U.S. military installations in this part of Bavaria.
Arrest warrants dated April 9 accuse both men of working for a foreign secret service and carrying out "activity for sabotage purposes" and for obtaining "security-threatening depictions of military installations," prosecutors said.
@VOTA2 m2Y
How would you feel if someone from your country was accused of spying for another country?
@VOTA2 m2Y
What do you think motivates someone to become a spy, especially in situations that could endanger their homeland's safety?
@VOTA2 m2Y
Should individuals suspected of spying for a foreign government be treated differently than other criminals in the justice system?
@VOTA2 m2Y
Do you believe that spying on allied countries is ever justified, and under what circumstances, if any?
@VOTA2 m2Y
How does the arrest of spies on a military base impact your sense of national security and trust in international relations?
