Latest news with #AlexanderJ
Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Three men in court over ‘Russian plot to disrupt Ukrainian aid'
Three men appeared in court in Munich on Tuesday charged with spying for Russia and planning arson attacks on military infrastructure, industrial sites and railway lines to disrupt western aid to Ukraine. The main defendant, named only as Dieter S in line with German privacy rules, is accused of co-ordinating the plans with a Russian agent and of scouting out potential targets such as an oil refinery in Bavaria and a US military training area near the town of Grafenwohr. The two other defendants, Alexander J and Alex D, are charged with being his accomplices. All three hold dual Russian-German citizenship. The federal prosecutor-general accused the three defendants of working for a Russian secret service. Dieter S is also accused of acting as an agent
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Three men on trial in Germany accused of Russian sabotage plot
Three German-Russian dual citizens have gone on trial in Munich accused of spying on behalf of the Kremlin and planning attacks on critical military infrastructure and industry. The alleged spies are said to have found code words for military goods and gathered confidential information about an oil refinery in Bavaria and a US military training area near the town of Grafenwöhr in the east of the state. The men are also said to have made plans to carry out bomb attacks on buildings and infrastructure used to support Ukraine. The suspected ringleader, identified only as Dieter S in line with German privacy rules, is accused of coordinating a plot with the specific aim of undermining Germany's support for Ukraine through acts of sabotage. He is on trial alongside Alexander J and Alex D, who are suspected of having supported his actions working at the behest of a foreign intelligence service. The trio were arrested in April 2024 by Bavarian police close to the town of Bayreuth. Dieter S faces additional charges for allegedly taking photographs and videos of military installations, a loading station and a tool manufacturing company, of hatching plans to cause an explosion and arson, and for preparing a grave act of violence threatening to state security. He is also charged with membership of a foreign terrorist organisation, having allegedly been active as a fighter for the pro-Russian separatists of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine since 2014. According to the federal prosecutor's office, it was during this period that he met the Russian intelligence agent with whom he is believed to have 'exchanged information', prosecutors allege, discussing possible sabotage operations in Germany starting in autumn 2023. The two men are alleged to have started to help Dieter S from March 2024. Alexander J and Alex D had admitted to some of the alleged offences but 'denied any knowledge of spying' for a foreign government, the court spokesperson Laurent Lafleur told Agence France-Presse. Dieter S denied all the charges against him, Lafleur said. With Germany on high alert over threats of sabotage and espionage, three Ukrainians were arrested in Germany and Switzerland last week on similar charges. They were allegedly planning to carry out attacks on cargo transport in Germany on behalf of Russia. According to the federal prosecutor's office, they were plotting to send packages containing explosive devices to recipients in Ukraine that would 'detonate during transport'. European intelligence services also suspect Russia of being behind a similar plot to plant explosive devices on cargo planes, which led to the explosion within days of each other of parcels at loading facilities belonging to DHL in Leipzig, Germany, Birmingham in the UK, and Warsaw, Poland. An additional 40 court dates for the trial in the southern German city have been set to last into late December.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany updates: Trial starts over Russian sabotage plot
Three German-Russian dual nationals are going on trial on Tuesday in Munich. They are accused of planning sabotage plots against military infrastructure and railway lines in Germany. Meanwhile, a man suspected of carrying out a stabbing attack in Bielefeld has been arrested. Authorities said they may give further information Tuesday amid speculation the attack was part of a larger plot. Here is a roundup of top news stories from Germany on Tuesday, May 20. The trial of three men accused of spying for Russia is due to begin at a regional court in the southern city of Munich. The trio, all German-Russian dual nationals, are also charged with planning sabotage plots against military infrastructure and railway lines in Germany. Police first arrested two of them, identified* as Dieter S. and Alexander J., in Bavaria last year. The third defendant, Alex D., was arrested separately. The main suspect in the case is Dieter S., who is believed to have been at the center of sabotage plots, while the other two are alleged to have helped him. Prosecutors have also charged Dieter S. with "membership in a foreign terrorist organization" for allegedly belonging to a pro-Russian militia in eastern Ukraine between 2014 and 2016. According to prosecutors, it was during this time that he came into contact with Russian intelligence services. The trial kicks off Tuesday at the Higher Regional Court in Munich at 10 a.m. local time (0800 UTC). Over 40 hearings are scheduled until December. *DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases. Guten Morgen from Bonn. A few trials in Germany are making headlines today, most notably that of three dual German-Russian citizens accused of spying for Moscow. Also on the agenda today: the Interior Ministry is giving a briefing on annual figures of politically-motivated crime, and Germany will face Denmark in the ice hockey World Championship.
