Investigators said an Armenian citizen was tasked in early May 2024 with monitoring the Ukrainian national in Germany, who had previously fought against Russia. For the assignment, he enlisted the help of a Ukrainian citizen and a Russian citizen.
Prosecutors reported that the suspects managed to arrange a meeting with their target at a café in Frankfurt on June 19, 2024. They likely aimed to identify the veteran and gather additional information about him.
However, the former serviceman alerted local police and did not show up at the meeting. Authorities subsequently arrested all three men and took them into custody. They face charges of collaborating with foreign intelligence.
German prosecutors believe the operation may have been part of preparations for broader Russian campaign of clandestine operations in the country—and may even have involved a plan to assassinate the target.