In brief
In a press briefing, Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed the arrest of a Ukrainian national suspected of spying for Russia as a success while warning that Russian intelligence continues high‑level operations in Germany. The arrested suspect, identified as Vadym Y., allegedly gathered information on Germany’s military production and contact with Russian intelligence since July 2025. Merz highlighted that in 2023 Germany had already arrested multiple alleged foreign spies, underscoring ongoing security threats. The case follows the recent apprehension of former BND chief August Hanning, adding urgency to Germany’s counter‑intelligence efforts. Germany’s leadership stresses the need for close cooperation with the UK and NATO to counter hybrid and espionage threats.
Germany is the target of "intensive" espionage activity, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after a Ukrainian national was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Officials said the suspect, named as Vadym Y., had allegedly collected military‑related intelligence from Germany and had been in contact with a Russian intelligence service through an intermediary since at least July 2025.
Merz called the uncovering of the case a "success", but warned "let us not delude ourselves - the activities of Russian intelligence services in Germany remain at a consistently high level".
Several people alleged to be acting on behalf of Russia and other foreign powers have been arrested in Germany this year. Germany has been one of the leading European suppliers of weapons to Ukraine since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in 2022.
The German Federal Prosecutor General’s Office said the Ukrainian man had collected information including "on the production of armoured vehicles, ammunition, and explosives". He is due to appear before an investigating judge on Friday.
In January, a woman was arrested in Berlin suspected of gathering information for an intelligence officer at the Russian embassy. Other arrests this year included a Romanian woman and a Ukrainian man accused of spying on an individual supplying drones from Germany to Ukraine, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Speaking at the sidelines of a conference in Montenegro on Thursday, Merz said: "We will likely see more such cases in the coming months and years." He reaffirmed a series of defence and security partnerships with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham earlier this month, including tackling hybrid attacks and hostile activity.
The talks between the two leaders came after Germany accused Russia of launching a drone fitted with explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport in September. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Germany of planting evidence to blame Russia.
