Ukrainian Nationals Arrested for Sabotage Plot in Germany
Three Ukrainian nationals suspected of preparing acts of sabotage in Germany on behalf of Russia were arrested in recent days in Germany and Switzerland, according to an announcement by the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
The suspects, who were reportedly recruited “likely under orders from Russian authorities,” intended to carry out arson attacks and explosive assaults targeting cargo transportation in Germany. One of the suspects allegedly conducted a test run at the end of March, the prosecutor’s office confirmed.
Details of the Sabotage Plot:
According to the investigation, the three men agreed to cause severe fires through arson and detonate explosions using dynamite. They had planned to distribute their tasks from within Germany and then send packages containing explosive or incendiary devices to recipients in Ukraine, which would detonate during transit.
To prepare for the attacks, one of the suspects, identified as Vladislav T., sent two test packages at the end of March 2025 to Cologne, Germany, containing GPS devices among other components.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office, responsible for terrorism-related cases, took over the investigation due to its “significant importance”. They successfully arranged the extradition of a second suspect, Yevhen B., from the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland, where he was arrested on Monday.
The other two suspects, Vladislav T. and Daniil B., were apprehended late last week in Cologne and Konstanz, respectively.
Kremlin Sabotage Threat:
German authorities remain on high alert for potential sabotage threats from the Kremlin. Last summer, Europe was rattled by a series of incendiary parcel bombs.
An investigation by German media in late April revealed that Russia’s military intelligence services (GRU) had been recruiting agents on social media to conduct sabotage operations within the European Union, primarily through parcel bombs.
One such package ignited in July 2024 inside a DHL transport center in Leipzig, eastern Germany.
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