Russian spy arrested in Berlin – secret service affair escalates!

Russian spy arrested in Berlin – secret service affair escalates!

A suspected Russian spy was arrested in Berlin. The woman, who has both German and Ukrainian citizenship, is suspected of passing on information about arms locations and drone deliveries to a Russian secret service as part of the war in Ukraine. The federal prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe confirmed that the arrest took place on Wednesday.

The suspected agent, known as Ilona W., had contacts with a Russian secret service employee at the embassy in Berlin. In addition, she is said to have contacted former employees of the Federal Ministry of Defense. An investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice must now decide on pre-trial detention.

Searches and other suspects

As part of the investigation, not only Ilona W.'s apartment was searched on Wednesday, but also the apartments of two other suspects in Brandenburg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Munich. These two people are currently at large. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), which was also involved in the arrest.

Ilona W. is said to have been active since November 2023 and to have collected information about political events and the arms industry. She also helped her contact to take part in political events in Berlin under aliases. The procedure is based on findings from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Federal Office for the Military Counterintelligence Service.

Background to the investigation

This arrest comes in a larger context, as the trial against three suspected Russia spies began in Frankfurt am Main in December 2025. The developments show an increasing interest and an intensification of intelligence activities in Germany, particularly with regard to security-relevant information. ZDF today reports that the security policy context plays a crucial role.