Prosecutors charge German-Ukrainian woman with aiding Russian intelligence

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office said Monday it had filed charges against a German-Ukrainian woman suspected of acting on behalf of Russian intelligence.

The woman, who was only identified as Ilona W. in line with German privacy rules, is accused of having been in contact with a full-time intelligence officer at the Russian Embassy in Berlin at least since Oct. 2023, the prosecutor’s statement said.

The defendant ran a marketing agency in Berlin and was also the chairwoman of a lobbying group. As a result, she had an extensive network in military and political circles, prosecutors said.

Over the course of several years, the woman provided the intelligence officer at the Russian embassy with numerous tips about high-profile events and ensured that he could attend them — sometimes under a false name. This was intended to enable him to build his own network for intelligence purposes, the statement said.

To identify contacts and potential targets, she also attended such events herself. Furthermore, the defendant attempted to recruit individuals from the German Ministry of Defense and the defense industry for her own purposes, prosecutors alleged.

On behalf of her contact at the Russian embassy, the defendant sought information on German defense policy and the defense industry, particularly in light of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The woman was arrested in January and charges were filed on Sept. 6. She remains in pretrial detention.