Overview
- The Higher Regional Court in Munich found three dual German‑Russian nationals guilty of spying for Russia and preparing sabotage, sentencing the main defendant to six years in prison.
- Two co‑defendants received suspended terms of six months and one year after the court concluded they assisted the ringleader.
- Prosecutors said the group gathered sensitive information from October 2023 to April 2024, including on rail movements, a Bavarian refinery, and U.S. personnel at Grafenwöhr, with plans for arson and explosions to hinder aid to Ukraine.
- The court noted assertions that the 41‑year‑old lead defendant fought in eastern Ukraine in 2014–2016, while all three defendants denied the charges and sought acquittal.
- The Federal Public Prosecutor had asked for eight years and eight months for the lead defendant and one‑year suspended terms for the others, as the case drew diplomatic friction after Germany summoned Russia's ambassador in April 2024 and the Russian embassy rejected the allegations.