Germany faces intensified espionage after Ukrainian spy arrest, says Merz

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that Germany is the target of “intensive” espionage after a Ukrainian national was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia. The suspect, identified only as Vadym Y. under German privacy law, was taken into custody by federal prosecutors in Berlin. He is accused of gathering military‑related intelligence, including details on the production of armoured vehicles, ammunition and explosives, and will appear before an investigating judge on Friday.

The arrest comes as Germany faces a surge in foreign‑intelligence activity. Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Berlin has become one of Europe’s biggest arms suppliers to Kyiv. That role has drawn the attention of Russian services, which Merz warned remain “consistently high” in the country. Earlier this year, a woman was detained in Berlin for allegedly feeding information to a Russian embassy officer, and a Romanian woman and another Ukrainian man were charged with spying on a drone supplier. The pattern reflects a broader wave of cases targeting officials, defence firms and logistics networks linked to the war effort.

Prosecutors say Vadym Y. has been in contact with a Russian intelligence service through an intermediary at least since July 2025. Investigators allege he collected technical data on German weapons production and passed it to his handlers. The case is part of a series of high‑profile arrests that also include former BND chief August Hanning, who was detained earlier this month on suspicion of treason and espionage for an unnamed foreign power, and former BND employee Manfred D., accused of selling about 2,000 classified documents to Hanning. These incidents underscore the depth of infiltration attempts within Germany’s security apparatus.

Merz told a conference in Montenegro that more espionage cases are likely in the coming months and years. He reiterated recent defence and security pacts with the United Kingdom, pledging joint action against hybrid attacks and hostile activity. The warning follows a German accusation that Russia launched a drone‑borne explosive at Leipzig/Halle Airport in September, an allegation Moscow denies and President Vladimir Putin has countered by accusing Berlin of fabricating evidence. The unfolding saga highlights the fragile balance between Germany’s support for Ukraine and the heightened intelligence threat from Moscow.