Intelligence agencies in Germany express apprehension over the troika issue.
In May 2024, the German federal prosecutor's office indicted three individuals from Ukraine, Armenia, and Russia in what appears to be a plot to assassinate a former Ukrainian military officer residing in Germany. The target of this operation, a former Ukrainian military intelligence officer, is suspected by Moscow of war crimes, including the execution of Russian prisoners of war.
The investigation began in Munich, where hearings were already underway against another alleged "trió," suspected of preparing sabotage acts on behalf of Moscow. These developments have prompted allegations from the Russian authorities that these incidents amount to an overt provocation aimed at damaging Russia-Germany relations even further.
According to the indictment, the suspects received instructions from a Russian intelligence agency to track the former military officer living in Germany. The overarching objective of the operation could have been his elimination, with plans to invite him to a café meeting on June 19, 2024, to confirm his identity and gather more information. However, the former military officer, suspecting something amiss, alerted the police and did not attend the meeting. All three suspects were arrested and have been in custody since.
One of the accused, an Armenian citizen, allegedly served as the liaison, transmitting instructions from the Russian intelligence agency. Prosecutors accuse him and his accomplices of spying for a foreign intelligence service under aggravating circumstances. The case is being examined by the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt, which will determine whether the trial will proceed.
Simultaneously, a military court in Munich is examining the case against another suspected Russian intelligence group, consisting of three men with dual Russian-German citizenship. According to the prosecution, they collected information on the transport of military equipment, monitored an American base in Grafenwöhr, and a refinery in Bavaria. The goals allegedly involve disrupting arms supplies to Ukraine and promoting unrest through arson and sabotage on railways.
The trial for these individuals is anticipated to be lengthy, with over 40 sessions scheduled. A verdict is expected by the end of the year, on December 23. The Russian Embassy in Germany dismissed the allegations against both cases as early as April 2024, labeling them as an overt provocation aimed at escalating anti-Russian sentiments. The deteriorating relationship between Russia and Germany, made worse by these cases, further underscores the increased security challenges faced by Germany as a key military supporter of Ukraine.
The developments in the investigation of an alleged assassination plot against a former Ukrainian military officer residing in Germany, along with the concurrent sabotage activities against Germany, have sparked discussions in general news, war-and-conflicts, politics, and crime-and-justice, as both cases threaten to strain the already tense Russia-Germany relations further.
Tensions between Russia and Germany have escalated, with the Russian Embassy labeling these incidents as provocations aimed at increasing anti-Russian sentiments, as Germany faces growing security challenges while being a key military supporter of Ukraine.
