Germany’s Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office says two people have been taken into custody on suspicion of spying for Russia.
Authorities say a 45-year-old Romanian woman was detained in Rheine in northwestern Germany, and a 43-year-old Ukrainian man was arrested in Elda in southeastern Spain. Prosecutors allege both were involved in surveillance of a German national who supplies drones and related components to Ukraine.
According to the prosecutor’s statement, the surveillance began in December 2025 when a man identified as Sergey N., acting on behalf of a Russian intelligence service, monitored the supplier, collected information and made video recordings of the person’s workplace. Investigators say that after Sergey N. moved to Spain, the assignment was continued by the Romanian national, identified as Alla S., who is accused of visiting the target’s address in Germany and filming it with her phone.
Prosecutors contend the surveillance was likely preparatory work for further intelligence operations against the target. German magazine Der Spiegel reported that investigators suspect those operations could have included physical attacks or an assassination attempt.
German officials have also warned that Russian intelligence services are actively recruiting so-called “disposable agents” — individuals with no formal training who can be paid small sums to carry out actions ranging from arson and property damage to drone overflights of sensitive sites. Authorities say such recruitment often occurs via social media.