Ukrainian Man Arrested in Germany on Suspicion of Spying for Russia as Military Raises Sabotage Threat Level

A Ukrainian national has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for Russia, German authorities have said.

In a statement on Thursday, federal prosecutors confirmed the man, identified as Vadym Y, was arrested in the state of Brandenburg, about 85 kilometres west of Berlin.

Prosecutors said the suspect had been in contact with the Russian secret service through an intermediary since at least July 2025.

He is accused of gathering military intelligence on the production of armoured vehicles, ammunition and explosives, as well as on military personnel and defence installations at locations intended to secure NATO's eastern flank, prosecutors added.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is meeting regional leaders in Montenegro for the EU-Western Balkans Summit, said he was not surprised by the news of a suspected Russian spy.

The arrest follows German authorities blaming Russia for drone incidents that officials describe as part of Moscow's shadow war against the country.

On Wednesday, Germany's armed forces raised the threat level for Russian sabotage against their troops and facilities to significant for the first time, the second-highest level on their internal scale, German news reports noted.

The move followed the discovery in mid-September of a crashed drone carrying high explosives near the Wunstorf airbase in Lower Saxony, reported by WDR and Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

The drone resembled another explosive-laden aircraft used in a failed attack at Leipzig/Halle airport in August, but investigators believe the Wunstorf drone targeted military aircraft, unlike the Leipzig incident, which was said to target civilian cargo aircraft, according to an internal military document seen by German media.

Reports also noted a pattern of suspected Russian reconnaissance, including drones over a missile defence site in Saxony-Anhalt and a camouflaged camera found filming a strategically important railway station in Minden, in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Martin Jaeger, head of Germany's BND spy service, told lawmakers this month that Russia's undeclared shadow war against Germany and its allies is escalating and has taken on a new, more dangerous character. Germany is at risk of being drawn into a violent conflict with Russia, he told a parliamentary intelligence oversight committee.

Moscow has denied involvement and maintains it is not involved in sabotage or hybrid attacks on European nations.