Germany arrests Ukrainian and Latvian nationals outside Nuremberg on suspicion of spying and planning sabotage

Bavarian police announced on Thursday that two people suspected of espionage had been arrested earlier this month, according to a report by broadcaster Deutsche Welle. A 45-year-old Latvian citizen and a 43-year-old Ukrainian citizen were detained on April 12 during a routine inspection on the A6 autobahn near the small town of Neuendettelsau outside Nuremberg.

Police found “various suspicious objects” in their car, including forged identity papers, cameras, a drone, GPS trackers, and radios, along with several mobile phones and SIM cards.

Authorities accused the men of carrying out espionage activities aimed at organizing acts of sabotage, and also of obtaining forged documents. Investigators said the suspects were “acting on behalf of a group or institution outside Germany.”

In October, a court in Munich sentenced a man with German and Russian citizenship to six years in prison on charges of spying and preparing acts of sabotage on behalf of Russia. Several other trials are currently underway in Germany involving people suspected of carrying out similar acts on behalf of Moscow.