Germany arrests three Ukrainians over alleged Russian parcel bomb plot
Three Ukrainian nationals have been arrested on suspicion of plotting parcel bomb attacks in Germany on behalf of the Russian state, prosecutors said.
The German federal prosecutor's office said on Wednesday that the men, identified only as Vladyslav T, Daniil B and Yevhen B, in line with German privacy rules, had been detained in recent days in Germany and Switzerland.
They are accused of 'secret agent activity for sabotage purposes' and of agreeing by, at the latest, March 2025 'with one or several persons presumed to be working for Russian state institutions' to carry out 'aggravated arson' and 'cause a detonation using explosives'.
The prosecutors alleged the men's intent had been to carry out 'explosives attacks on cargo transport in the Federal Republic of Germany', by shipping parcels from Germany to recipients in Ukraine carrying 'explosives or incendiary devices' that would 'detonate during transport'.
Vladyslav T allegedly sent two test packages containing GPS trackers in late March from Cologne, in western Germany, 'to scout out suitable transport routes' on the orders of Yevhen B, who is believed to have provided the package contents via Daniil B.
Last July, European security agencies were shaken by three separate package explosions, sent from Lithuania, that detonated in Birmingham, in the UK; Leipzig, Germany; and near Warsaw, in Poland.
German authorities said in October that a plane could have been downed if the devices had ignited in flight. The logistics firm DHL took measures to protect its network after fires at one of its warehouses in Leipzig.
Western security agencies were quick to suspect Russian intelligence, with the incidents coming amid a series of other hostile acts including arson, cyber-attacks, data theft and the targeting of undersea cables.
All the couriers appear to have operated within the same network and transported similar content of sex toys and massage pillows.
Reuters reported that the devices were rigged to ignite using pre-set timers repurposed from inexpensive Chinese electronics typically used for tracking lost items. Their impact was intensified by tubes disguised as cosmetics, which were filled with a flammable gel containing compounds such as nitromethane.
Yevhen B, who was arrested on Tuesday in Thurgau, in north-eastern Switzerland, has been transferred to German custody. German authorities arrested Vladyslav T on Friday in Cologne and Daniil B on Saturday in the south-western city of Konstanz.
The federal criminal police have been carrying out the investigation owing to its 'special significance', as is common in suspected terrorism cases.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Russia launches biggest drone attack on Ukraine's Kharkiv
At least two people have been killed and another 17 injured in the biggest Russian drone attack on Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, the mayor Terekhov says that overnight Russia launched 48 drones, as well as two missiles and four gliding bombs."We have a lot of damage," he says, adding that three high-rising residential buildings were hit. Footage has emerged showing several storeys of one such building on fire. Six people were killed and 80 injured across Ukraine the previous night, when Russia attacked the country with more than 400 drones and nearly 40 missiles. That attack came days after Ukraine's daring drone strikes targeting Russian strategic warplanes at four air bases deep inside the security service SBU said at least 40 Russian aircraft were struck during its Operation Spider Web last Sunday. Ukraine says 117 drones were used: they were first smuggled into Russia, then placed inside wooden cabins mounted on the back of lorries and concealed below remotely operated detachable lorries were then apparently driven to locations near the Russian air bases by drivers who were seemingly unaware of their cargo. The drones were then launched President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Post Office compensation chief steps down after Sir Alan Bates raised 'serious concerns' about schemes
A Post Office boss who backed compensation for Horizon IT scandal victims has left his position as Sir Alan Bates raised 'serious concerns' about schemes. Leader of the Post Office's Remediation Unit, Simon Recaldin, is believed to have opted for voluntary redundancy and left his post this week. It comes as the first part of a public inquiry report into the controversy, analysing the compensation process as well as the affect on victims, is anticipated to be released in the coming weeks. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts. Hundreds are still waiting for payouts despite the previous government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000. A Post Office spokesperson said yesterday Mr Recaldin's departure was a part of an 'organisational design exercise' across the firm. Now Joanne Hanley, who was previously a managing director and global head of client servicing, data and operations for Lloyds', is understood to have taken up a large portion of the former Post Office chief, according to The Telegraph. It comes as Post Office hero Sir Alan Bates accused the government of running a 'quasi kangaroo court' payout system for the scandal's victims last month. More recently, Sir Alan said he would prefer to see the compensation schemes thrown out rather the people working on them. 'We have got serious concerns about the transparency and the parity across the schemes,' he told The Telegraph. Last November, Mr Recaldin giving evidence to the inquiry, apologised after it was unearthed staff who were managing compensation claims had also been embroiled in prosecutions relating to the scandal. When queried about ex Post Office investigators he said: 'So my regret – and it is a genuine regret – is that when I came in, in January 2022, that I didn't do that conflicts check, check back on my inherited team, and challenge that.' It comes as the Sir Alan, who famously won his High Court battle with the Post Office in 2019 revealed that he had been handed a 'take it or leave it' compensation offer of less than half his original claim. Mr Bates, 70, said the first offer, made in January last year, was just one sixth of what he was asking for, adding that it rose to a third in the second offer. He has now been given a 'final take it or leave it offer' - which he said amounts to 49.2 per cent of his original claim. He, alongside 500 other sub-postmasters, will now have to lodge their bid for compensation via the Group Litigation order, managed by the Government. Bates, who led the sub-postmasters' campaign for justice, attacked the government for reneging on assurances given when the compensation schemes were set up The Post Office currently manages the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, which is seperate to the aforementioned. This scheme was organised for victims who have not been compensated but believe they experienced financial loses due to the IT scandal. A Post Office spokesman said: 'As part of the Post Office's commitment to deliver a 'new deal for postmasters', we have undertaken a review of our operating model to ensure we have the right structure in place. 'We have been in consultation with a number of colleagues from across the business, including the Remediation Unit. As a result of this Post Office-wide organisational design exercise, Simon Recaldin has left the business.'
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Portuguese police brand search for Madeleine McCann a 'waste of time' as sources claim three-day operation in Portugal turned up 'nothing'
The head of the German force leading the fresh searches for Madeleine McCann told a friend who wished him luck: 'Thanks, we need it.' Rainer Grimm, boss of the BKA, Germany 's equivalent of the FBI, is in Portugal overseeing the search which ended yesterday. His apparent lack of confidence in the operation to his pal echoed what many have seen as the 'last throw of the dice' for investigators looking to solve the 18-year riddle. But sources close to the investigation said that 'only animal bones and bits of old adult clothing' have been found in the estimated £300,000 operation. One officer told MailOnline: 'We always knew it was going to be a waste of time but we have to show cooperation. 'What did they expect to find after 18 years? We were happy to work with them but we knew it would be a waste of time.' The head of the German force leading the fresh searches for Madeleine McCann (pictured) told a friend who wished him luck: 'Thanks, we need it' Convicted rapist and paedophile Christian Brueckner, 48, has been identified by German prosecutors as the man behind Madeleine's 'abduction and murder'. He was sensationally named by German authorities in June 2020 as the man responsible for Madeleine's abduction and murder, but he has not been charged – and the sands of time are running out. Brueckner, who has vehemently denied the allegations, is currently serving a seven-year sentence for a separate rape case and is due for release in September and has already vowed to leave Germany. As a result, it means prosecutors will have trouble bringing him to court should they charge him in connection with Madeleine's disappearance. His earliest possible release date is September 17 however that is unlikely as he will have to pay 1500 euro in outstanding fines from a series of motor offences to do so. But his legal team say he is broke and so a release date of January 6 looks more likely. Brueckner's lawyer Philipp Marquort told MailOnline:'I haven't had a chance to speak with him yet about the searches and I am not going to comment on what has been happening in Portugal. 'What I will say is that I don't think he will be coming out in September as he doesn't have any money to pay the fines because it went on his legal fees, so I can't see him leaving prison until early next year. 'He will probably see the news on the TV in his cell and he will talk about it when he calls me next time but I still do think when he is freed he will leave Germany.' Last October he was cleared of a series of unrelated sex attacks that took place in the Algarve between 2000 and 2017. Two years ago police also searched a dam close by for evidence but after a week-long operation nothing was found. Brueckner continues to deny any involvement with Madeleine's disappearance. Details of Mr Grimm's downbeat message came as the operation at Atalaia near Praia da Luz was brought to a close after three days. Permission had been given to search the derelict outbuildings on the scrubland close to where Brueckner used to live and where he previously to park his campervan until Friday Meanwhile locals expressed exasperation at the eyes of the world once again being on Praia da Luz with one business owner telling MailOnline: 'What on earth do they expect to find after 18 years ? 'It's been such a long time, of course everyone sympathies with the parents but it's gone on for too long now and to be honest no one here is convinced this German guy did it.' The German police team will fly back on a military plane due to pick them up today and which will also carry two vans brought with them. German officials said they would update the media on Friday or Monday if they had anything significant to say but the feeling was one of disappointment.
