Russian-German Citizens Accused of Espionage for Russian Intelligence Services

• A Russian-German national and his two accomplices have been charged with espionage and sabotage in Germany.
• The allegations involve activities aimed at the country’s national security, such as collecting and exfiltrating defense information.
• The accomplices assisted with reconnaissance, sabotaging, and sending the collected data to the Russian secret service.  

German federal prosecutors have officially charged three Russian-German nationals with acting as agents for Russian secret services. The charges include espionage and sabotage, with allegations of activities intended to compromise Germany’s national security.  

The individuals were identified as Dieter S., Alexander J., and Alex D. The Office of the Federal Prosecutor (Generalbundesanwalt) revealed that Dieter S. was allegedly involved in sabotage operations and intelligence gathering that targeted Germany's military infrastructure. 

According to the authorities, Dieter S. maintained contact with an individual affiliated with the Russian secret service who was also part of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) armed unit.  

“From October 2023, Dieter S. exchanged information with the person about possible sabotage actions in the Federal Republic of Germany,” prosecutors stated. The reported goal of these actions was to disrupt Germany’s military support for Ukraine during the ongoing Russian war of aggression.  

The prosecutors further alleged that Dieter S. expressed willingness to carry out explosive and arson attacks on critical military and industrial infrastructure. He reportedly scouted potential targets in Bavaria, including U.S. military facilities, a loading station in Upper Palatinate, and a tool manufacturing company.  

Alexander J. and Alex D. actively assisted him in reconnaissance and sabotaging activities no later than March 2024. The three are accused of collecting intelligence, including photos and videos of military transports and other strategic assets, and transmitting this information to the Russian secret service.  

The charges against the three individuals come amidst a broader investigation into espionage activities in Germany. The Generalbundesanwalt highlighted the arrest of other foreign nationals accused of espionage in recent months.

The first two are Mehmet K (Turkish citizen charged with working for Turkey’s secret service) and Martin D. (U.S. national and former employee of the U.S. armed forces in Germany, accused of offering sensitive military information to Chinese intelligence services in 2024).

The last was Yaqi X., a Chinese citizen working at Leipzig/Halle Airport, who sent flights, cargo, and passenger data, including shipments tied to a German defense company, to a Chinese operative, Jian G., who was detained earlier in 2024. 

In October, the U.S. indicted Russian hackers – five military officers and one civilian who were linked to Russia’s GRU – for cyberattacks on the Ukrainian government.