German authorities have launched a criminal investigation into an alleged Russian espionage network after the arrest of a German-Ukrainian woman suspected of passing sensitive information to an employee of the Russian embassy.
A press photo from a December economic event in Berlin — showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seated beside Chancellor Friedrich Merz — later drew attention because a woman two rows behind them has been identified as the alleged agent. Federal prosecutors say the arrested suspect, identified in court documents as Ilona W.*, was detained on January 21, 2026.
Prosecutors allege Ilona W. had been in contact with a member of the Russian diplomatic mission since at least November 2023 and on multiple occasions provided material relating to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Investigators say she collected details about participants at “high-profile political events,” passed on locations linked to Germany’s arms industry, reported on drone tests, and relayed plans for drone deliveries to Ukraine.
Authorities describe Ilona W. as politically active and well connected in Berlin. Reporting that includes ARD’s Berlin studio says she served as chairwoman of a federal organization based in the capital that presents itself as an umbrella group for binational associations promoting international understanding. A former Social Democratic Party (SPD) lawmaker is reportedly on the organization’s board of trustees.
The probe has broadened beyond the arrested woman. Investigators are examining two former Bundeswehr members who knew the accused and are suspected of having provided official information to her. It is not yet clear whether those men understood the alleged destination of the material. The Defense Ministry said one is a recently retired senior officer and the other a senior civil servant who left the armed forces more than 15 years ago.
Berlin summoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev after identifying an employee of the embassy as involved in espionage and declared that the person must leave Germany. German officials said the diplomat — reported by dpa to be the deputy military attaché — may have been the contact for the accused. The Foreign Office told the ambassador that espionage on German soil would not be tolerated and would carry consequences. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, speaking while on a trip to Africa, said: “We are watching very closely what Russia is doing, and we are taking action against it.”
The Russian embassy dismissed the allegations as a “ridiculous, hastily cobbled together provocation,” telling AFP the claims aimed to discredit its mission amid what it called “spy hysteria actively cultivated in Germany,” and warned that Berlin’s “unfriendly actions will not go unanswered.”
German security services and experts say Russian intelligence activity in the country has been intensifying. Bundeswehr barracks and weapons transport routes that support Ukraine have been monitored, and investigators assess that the scale of Russian espionage has again reached levels comparable to the Cold War era before 1989. A May report from Germany’s domestic intelligence agency warned that Russia has become less hesitant to act against German interests and that a rise in incidents across Europe — including ones visible in public — signals Moscow sees use of force as a legitimate instrument.
Chancellor Merz has also spoken publicly about Russian activity. At a Rheinische Post event last September he said: “I want to say it in one sentence, which may sound a little shocking at first, but I mean exactly what I say: We are not at war, but we are also no longer at peace.” His comments followed the observation of drone flights over Denmark and Germany’s northern state of Schleswig-Holstein that investigators judged were most likely Russian.
The investigation is ongoing. German prosecutors and intelligence agencies are continuing to piece together contacts, documents and communications to determine the scope of the alleged operation and whether additional people or diplomatic staff were involved.
*Full name withheld in compliance with German privacy laws. This article was originally written in German.