Three Ukrainian nationals have been arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of conspiring to send parcels containing explosive or incendiary devices to Ukraine. German prosecutors announced this development on Wednesday, stating that the arrests were made at the behest of individuals believed to be associated with Russian interests.
The suspects are accused of acting as secret agents with the intention of carrying out sabotage activities, as well as planning to commit arson and detonate explosives. According to a statement released by federal prosecutors, this alleged scheme aligns with a broader pattern of activities where Western officials have accused Russia and its proxies of orchestrating various attacks across Europe since the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
Two of the detainees, referred to as Vladyslav T. and Daniil B. in accordance with German privacy regulations, were arrested in different regions of Germany on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The third suspect, identified as Yevhen B., was apprehended on Tuesday in the Thurgau district of northern Switzerland.
The suspects are believed to have communicated with individuals suspected of acting on behalf of Russian state agencies around March, expressing their readiness to target freight transportation in Germany. Prosecutors have indicated that the alleged plan involved sending packages designed to explode or ignite during transit to Ukraine.
Vladyslav T., one of the suspects, reportedly mailed two "test packages" from Cologne at the end of March. These packages contained GPS trackers intended to evaluate possible transportation methods. Allegations indicate that Yevhen B. directed Vladyslav T. in this task, and that Daniil B. was involved in supplying the contents of the packages.
No additional details regarding the contents of the packages or the specific methods and routes of their dispatch have been made available by German prosecutors. This incident echoes a previous case from the past year in which Western security officials suspected that Russian intelligence may have orchestrated a plot involving incendiary devices concealed within packages destined for cargo planes traveling to North America. In that instance, one package caught fire at a courier hub in Germany, while another ignited in a warehouse in England.
The arrests and the ongoing investigation highlight the heightened tensions and security concerns in Europe in the context of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The emergence of such alleged sabotage activities underscores the complex geopolitical landscape and the potential for escalating covert operations linked to the ongoing war.
