According to the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the three Ukrainians arrested acted as foreign agents of Russia and planned to carry out bomb attacks on cargo transport to Germany by sending parcels containing explosives or incendiary devices from Germany to recipients in Ukraine, with the intention of detonating them during transit. The acts of sabotage in Germany were planned as part of a wave of hybrid attacks on European countries orchestrated by the Russian Federation.
Social media and Russian websites are reporting that three Ukrainian citizens suspected of preparing acts of sabotage have been arrested in Germany and Switzerland. “As reported by The Guardian with reference to German prosecutors, the arrested individuals planned to commit arson and explosions at freight transport facilities,” writes the Russian website ZOV Kyiv.
In reality, this information is manipulative. According to the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the three Ukrainians were acting as “foreign agents” of Russia and were arrested on suspicion of planning to place explosive devices in transported goods. “On 9 and 10 May 2025, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office arrested the Ukrainian citizens Vladyslav T. and Danylo B., and arrest warrants were requested from the investigating judge of the Federal Court,” the office’s website states.
Deutsche Welle also highlights that, according to German officials, all three Ukrainian citizens “were prepared to commit acts of arson and planned to ship packages containing explosive devices, and had conveyed this to individuals believed to be acting on behalf of Russian state authorities”. According to federal prosecutors, the suspects intended to set fire to freight trains bound for Ukraine, namely “to ignite during transport”.
In addition, Deutsche Welle notes that according to German intelligence reports, individuals working for Russia are recruiting people to carry out espionage and sabotage across the country. Authorities have warned of an increased threat of Russian sabotage following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation in February 2022. “Authorities said one of the men arrested had discussed sabotage operations on German soil targeting industrial sites and military infrastructure in an attempt to undermine German aid to Ukraine,” the publication writes.
German media also report that in October 2024, Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, told a parliamentary committee that the cause of a parcel fire – ignited on the tarmac before being transported by DHL in Leipzig – was likely Russian sabotage. The planned sabotage in Germany was apparently part of a wave of hybrid attacks on European countries orchestrated by Moscow.StopFake continues to expose similar disinformation in Fake: Ukrainians Arrested in Israel for Planning Terror Attack in Jerusalem and Fake: Hotline for Complaints About «Loud Ukrainian Refugees» Set Up Lisbon.
