German court convicts Ukrainian man over Russia parcel plot

A German court has handed down a one-year and three-month prison sentence to a 30-year-old Ukrainian man for his role in a Russian plot to sabotage Ukraine. Two other Ukrainian men, aged 22 and 25, were found not guilty. The higher regional court in Stuttgart determined the trio were responsible for sending packages with GPS trackers from Germany to Ukraine via a Ukrainian parcel service.

Prosecutors alleged the goal was to expose transport routes and relay the information to Russian intelligence. The men were apprehended in May of the previous year. The 30-year-old co-conspirator admitted to scouting potential targets for a Russian state entity and was charged with spying for sabotage purposes. While the two other defendants were not found guilty of participating in the actual sabotage plot, they were linked to the shipment of the GPS trackers.

The prosecution sought sentences ranging from two years and nine months to four years and three months, while the defense requested acquittal for all three. The convicted individual and the prosecution may appeal the decision. Germany, as Ukraine's primary ally in the conflict with Russia, has remained vigilant against potential sabotage and espionage efforts allegedly orchestrated by Moscow.

In a previous incident, explosive parcels detonated in Germany, Poland, and Britain, which Moscow denied involvement in. Earlier this month, a drone with explosives and a detonator was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport, a crucial military equipment facility in eastern Germany. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt characterized the incident as a "hybrid attack by a foreign power," although Russia has denied any culpability.