Latest news with #VardgesI
Washington Post
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Germany charges three people with spying for Russia, potentially with intent to kill
BERLIN, Germany — Three people in Germany were charged with working for one of Russia's intelligence agencies and could have been plotting to kill a man, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. The three men arrested in the 'particularly serious case' on June 19, 2024 in Frankfurt were identified as Robert A., a Ukrainian citizen; Vardges I., an Armenian national; and Arman S., a Russian citizen. Their full names weren't released in line with German privacy rules.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Germany charges three people with spying for Russia, potentially with intent to kill
Three people in Germany were charged with working for one of Russia 's intelligence agencies and could have been plotting to kill a man, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday. The three men arrested in the 'particularly serious case' on June 19, 2024 in Frankfurt were identified as Robert A., a Ukrainian citizen; Vardges I., an Armenian national; and Arman S., a Russian citizen. Their full names weren't released in line with German privacy rules. 'The spying operation presumably served to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly even leading to killing,' the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said. German prosecutors said at the beginning of May 2024, Vardges I. received an order from a Russian intelligence agency to spy on a man living in Germany who fought in Ukraine's armed forces after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. To do this, Vardges I. recruited Robert A. and Arman S., who are accused of trying to lure the man to a meeting in a cafe in downtown Frankfurt with the aim of identifying him and gathering further information about him. Because the man had previously been in touch with German police, no meeting ever took place, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said, adding that the three men remain in custody. The charges against the men, filed May 16, are the latest in a series of cases across Europe where Ukrainians and other nationals are accused of working on behalf of Russia's intelligence services. In May, German prosecutors said three Ukrainians were arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of agreeing to send parcels containing explosive or incendiary devices from Germany to Ukraine, apparently at the behest of people acting for Russia. In April 2024, two German-Russian men were arrested in Germany on suspicion of espionage, one of them accused of agreeing to carry out attacks on potential targets including U.S. military facilities in hopes of sabotaging aid for Ukraine, prosecutors said. Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of staging dozens of attacks ranging from arson and sabotage to cyberattacks and espionage since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Russia has previously been accused of trying to kill people in Germany who have a connection to the war in Ukraine. In July 2024, Western officials said a plot was uncovered to kill Armin Papperger, CEO of defense company Rheinmetall which provides weapons to Ukraine. In 2019, a Russian national, Vadim Krasikov, was convicted in Germany of killing a Georgian citizen who had fought Russian troops in Chechnya. Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine in 2024. At his sentencing, German judges said Krasikov had acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport and the resources to carry out the killing.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Germany charges three with spying on Ukrainian in possible assassination plot
BERLIN (Reuters) -German prosecutors have charged three people - a Ukrainian, a Russian and an Armenian - with foreign agent activity, on suspicion of spying on a Ukrainian man in Germany with the possible aim of killing him, prosecutors said on Wednesday. The target of the operation was a man who had taken part in combat operations for the Ukrainian armed forces following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a statement from the federal prosecutor said. The Armenian man, identified only as Vardges I, was tasked with spying by the Russian intelligence service, the statement added. He is said to have recruited Ukrainian national Robert A. and Russian national Arman S. to assist with the operation. The plot involved a planned meeting with the target at a cafe in central Frankfurt in June 2024, but he did not show up after being tipped off by German authorities, the prosecutor said. "The spying operation presumably served to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly including the killing of the target person," the statement said. The three suspects have been in custody since their arrest on June 19, 2024, the day of the attempted meeting. European security officials have warned of the increased threat of hybrid attacks by Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war, including espionage and sabotage targeting critical infrastructure. In 2019, a Georgian man and former Chechen militant was shot dead in central Berlin by a hit man that Germany said was working for Russia. (Writing by Rachel More; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Germany charges three with spying on Ukrainian soldier with a view to killing him
(From left) German, Ukrainian and EU flags flying in Berlin ahead of a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 28. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Germany charges three with spying on Ukrainian soldier with a view to killing him BERLIN - German prosecutors said May 28 they had charged three people with spying for tailing a former Ukrainian soldier on behalf of Russian intelligence as part of a potential assassination plot. The accused were partially identified by prosecutors as Ukrainian national Robert A, Armenian Vardges I and Russian Arman S, who were arrested in 2024 in Frankfurt. The trio faced charges of 'working for a foreign intelligence service', in a case prosecutors labelled 'particularly serious'. According to investigators, Vardges I received an order from a Russian intelligence service in May 2024 to spy on a man who had 'participated in combat operations for the Ukrainian armed forces' following Russia's 2022 invasion. Subsequently, the Armenian suspect is said to have recruited Robert A and Arman S to support the operation. The suspects planned to lead the Ukrainian target under false pretences to a cafe in the western German city of Frankfurt on June 19, 2024. The three men were at the location on the day to identify the target and 'obtain further information about him'. The target had, however, already contacted German authorities over the suspicious activity and did not appear in the cafe. Instead, the suspects were arrested by police. 'The surveillance operation presumably served as preparation for further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly including the assassination of the target,' prosecutors said. Germany has uncovered numerous cases of suspected espionage and sabotage on its soil since Russia's launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this month, three German-Russian dual nationals went on trial in Munich accused of spying for Moscow and preparing attacks on critical military infrastructure and industry. Prosecutors this month also said they had arrested three Ukrainians accused of plotting sabotage attacks on goods traffic for Russia. In April 2024, a German former soldier was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail for sharing secret military information with Russia in the wake of the outbreak of war in Ukraine. A former German intelligence officer also went on trial in 2024 accused of passing information to Moscow that showed Germany had access to details of Russian mercenary operations in Ukraine. He denies the charges. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Straits Times
Germany charges three with spying on Ukrainian in possible assassination plot
Germany charges three with spying on Ukrainian in possible assassination plot BERLIN - German prosecutors have charged three people - a Ukrainian, a Russian and an Armenian - with foreign agent activity, on suspicion of spying on a Ukrainian man in Germany with the possible aim of killing him, prosecutors said on Wednesday. The target of the operation was a man who had taken part in combat operations for the Ukrainian armed forces following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a statement from the federal prosecutor said. The Armenian man, identified only as Vardges I, was tasked with spying by the Russian intelligence service, the statement added. He is said to have recruited Ukrainian national Robert A. and Russian national Arman S. to assist with the operation. The plot involved a planned meeting with the target at a cafe in central Frankfurt in June 2024, but he did not show up after being tipped off by German authorities, the prosecutor said. "The spying operation presumably served to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly including the killing of the target person," the statement said. The three suspects have been in custody since their arrest on June 19, 2024, the day of the attempted meeting. European security officials have warned of the increased threat of hybrid attacks by Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war, including espionage and sabotage targeting critical infrastructure. In 2019, a Georgian man and former Chechen militant was shot dead in central Berlin by a hit man that Germany said was working for Russia. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
