Arrests in Berlin and Brandenburg: A woman is said to have spied for Russia, two men are said to have supported the pro-Russian “people’s republics”.
A woman with German and Ukrainian citizenship was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of being a secret service agent for Russia. She is said to have had intelligence contacts with the Russian Embassy in Berlin since November 2023 at the latest. In Brandenburg, a Russian and a German citizen were arrested for supporting the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Ilona W., who was arrested in Berlin, is said to have had intelligence contacts with the Russian Embassy since November 2023 at the latest. Your contact works for a Russian secret service. The accused provided him with information, including background information about participants in high-profile political events. She also made inquiries about the locations of the defense industry, drone tests and planned deliveries of drones to Ukraine. In addition, she sometimes helped her contact from the Russian Embassy to go to political events in Berlin under aliases in order to establish contacts relevant to the secret service.
According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the proceedings against Ilona W. are based on findings from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Office for the Military Counterintelligence Service. In addition to the premises of those arrested, the premises of two other suspects were also searched in the Havelland district of Brandenburg, in Ahrweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate and in Munich. However, the accused remain at large so far. Ilona W., on the other hand, is to be brought before the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice, who will issue the arrest warrant for her and decide on the execution of the pre-trial detention.
Two more arrests in Brandenburg
Also on Wednesday, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office arrested two suspected supporters of the pro-Russian “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” in the districts of Dahme-Spreewald and Märkisch-Oderland, which are classified as foreign terrorist organizations in Germany. The Russian citizen Suren A. and the German Falko H. are said to have held prominent positions in an association since 2016 that organized the transport of supplies and medical products, but also drones, to the Donbass.
Suren A. directed club funds of over 14,000 euros to the “people’s republics” controlled by Russia. He also organized goods transport for the local militias. Falko H. traveled to Donbass several times to hold talks with representatives of the “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” and accepted delivery orders. He also regularly participated in the distribution of goods on site.
The background is the activities of the “Friedensbrücke – War Victims Aid” association, which has been in the sights of the investigative authorities for a long time. According to his website, he officially organizes the transport of relief goods for war victims. Already on May 27, 2025, on behalf of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office Apartment of the club chairwoman Liane K. in Wandlitz, Brandenburg and other objects in Berlin and Brandenburg were searched. An arrest warrant could not be executed at that time. Liane K. is said to have been living in Russia for some time.
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