Three On Trial In Frankfurt Over Alleged Russian Spy Plot Targeting Ex‑Ukrainian Soldier

Three men went on trial in Frankfurt on Tuesday accused of surveilling a former Ukrainian soldier on behalf of a Russian intelligence service and of preparing what prosecutors say may have been an assassination attempt.

Prosecutors say the alleged ringleader, an Armenian identified partially as Vardges I., recruited two accomplices: a Ukrainian named Robert A. and a Russian named Arman S.. Court observers reported that Vardges I. grinned as the trio entered the courtroom while Robert A. made a thumbs-up gesture.

The defendants are accused of trying last year to lure the Georgia‑born ex‑soldier, who served in Ukraine's armed forces, to a café in Frankfurt. The alleged target grew suspicious and contacted police, who put the meeting under surveillance, prosecutors said.

“The spying operation presumably served to prepare further intelligence missions in Germany, possibly including the killing of the target,” prosecutors told the court. Prosecution spokeswoman Ines Peterson added that the motive may have been related to Russian accusations that the veteran participated in crimes against Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

When the veteran did not appear at the monitored café, the three men drove away and were later stopped and arrested by police commandos, authorities said. Reporting by Sueddeutsche Zeitung indicated officers found cash, multiple passports (some genuine and some forged) and GPS tracking devices among the suspects' possessions.

All three defendants have been remanded in custody pending further proceedings. The press service of the Russian Embassy in Berlin told AFP it “doesn't interfere with or comment on legal proceedings in Germany” and said it had “no reliable information” that any of the suspects were Russian citizens.

Context

The case comes amid heightened vigilance across Europe over suspected Russian espionage, drone reconnaissance and sabotage, cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns since Russia’s 2022 full‑scale invasion of Ukraine. European governments and NATO partners have increased support for Kyiv and stepped up defence spending as concerns over so‑called hybrid threats have grown.

In October, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that unexplained drone flights and other incidents could reflect attempts by Russia to destabilise Europe with “hybrid attacks.” German courts and security services have also prosecuted and warned about covert plots and agents allegedly recruited via social media to scout infrastructure and military sites.