Germany Detains Ukrainian, Latvian Nationals on Suspicion of Sabotage Plot

The suspects were stopped during a routine traffic check, where police discovered drones, trackers and fake IDs. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied (For illustrative purposes) A picture taken on May 19, 2020 shows an employee walking past the name of German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) at its headquartersin Berlin. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google German authorities have detained two men – a Ukrainian and a Latvian national – on suspicion of preparing sabotage activities, following a routine traffic stop in Bavaria, local police said on Thursday, April 23. According to the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office , the suspects were stopped on April 12 on the A6 highway near Neuendettelsau during a standard vehicle inspection. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Officers discovered a range of suspicious items inside the car, including forged identification documents, cameras, a drone, GPS trackers, radio equipment, multiple mobile phones and SIM cards. The detainees – a 43-year-old Ukrainian citizen and a 45-year-old Latvian national – are suspected of acting on behalf of a foreign organization. The investigation is being led by prosecutors from Munich General Prosecutor’s Office, including its central unit for combating extremism and terrorism. Both suspects, who have no permanent residence in Germany, have been placed in pre-trial detention following arrest warrants issued by a Munich court. Authorities said further details cannot be disclosed due to the ongoing investigation. The presumption of innocence applies. European nations have previously warned of heightened espionage risks posed by Russia. In January, Germany reported the arrest of three alleged spies in two espionage cases, including a woman who reportedly passed intelligence about military aid to Ukraine to Russia. In October 2025, German authorities requested an eight-year prison sentence for a 39-year-old German-Russian national accused of scouting Western military targets for Russia. Other Topics of Interest EU Approves €90B Ukraine Loan, New Russia Sanctions After Hungary, Slovakia Drop Veto The bloc has cleared a major financial package and its 20th sanctions round after weeks of political deadlock as Kyiv seeks urgent funding to pay the bills this summer. In March, the Financial Times reported that Vienna has become a hotspot for Russian espionage thanks to the country’s neutral status, with clusters of satellite dishes used for covert signals intelligence (SIGINT) installed in diplomatic compounds. As Europe began expelling Russian spies operating under diplomatic cover after 2022, Moscow has also turned towards the “ illegals ” – a term to describe resident spies without official cover – as well as vulnerable recruits for low-level sabotage and disruptive operations. Germany has also reported intermittent sightings of unidentified drones near sensitive sites in recent years, including near bases hosting training for Ukrainian troops in 2024; over military and industrial facilities in Rhineland-Palatinate in December that year; above two military sites in Manching in January 2025; and near Bremen Airport in November 2025, where flights were disrupted. Yuliia Zavadska is a news writer at Kyiv Post. She has experience in breaking news coverage, fact-checking, and digital journalism, with a focus on fast, accurate reporting and clear storytelling. Before joining Kyiv Post, she worked as a news feed editor for several leading Ukrainian media outlets.