A 53-year-old Ukrainian citizen, Vadym Y., has been detained in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russian intelligence. This was reported by the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany. The arrest took place in the Oder-Spree district of the federal state of Brandenburg.
According to the investigation, no later than July 2025, the suspect established contact with Russian intelligence through an intermediary. Against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, he allegedly collected military intelligence in Germany for transmission to the Russian side.
The investigation claims that he was interested in information about the production of armored vehicles, ammunition, and explosives, as well as military personnel and military facilities related to ensuring the security of NATO's eastern flank. Some of this information was publicly available. However, according to the prosecution, the suspect also deliberately gathered information from representatives of the European defense industry.
As reported by the German publication Der Spiegel, Vadym Y. lived in Eisenhüttenstadt and hails from the Luhansk region of Ukraine. Among other things, he allegedly showed interest in the Bundeswehr's 45th Tank Brigade, known as the "Lithuanian Brigade." This unit, comprising about 5,000 soldiers, Germany plans to fully deploy in Lithuania by 2027.
According to the publication's security sources, in recent years there have been attempts to establish contact with military personnel designated for service on NATO's eastern flank. Additionally, suspicious drones have been repeatedly observed near facilities in Lithuania prepared for the deployment of Bundeswehr units.
On October 23, the detainee is to be brought before an investigative judge of the Federal Court of Germany in Karlsruhe. The judge will decide whether to keep him in custody during the investigation.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office reported that the investigation began after materials were handed over by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Germany. Investigative actions have been entrusted to the Federal Criminal Police Office. Suspicions do not yet mean that the detainee's guilt has been proven.
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