Prosecutors charge German-Ukrainian woman with aiding Russian intelligence
On Monday, Germany's federal prosecutor's office announced charges against a German-Ukrainian woman, referred to as Ilona W., suspected of collaborating with Russian intelligence. The woman, whose identity was protected under German privacy laws, allegedly maintained contact with a Russian Embassy intelligence officer in Berlin since October 2023.
Prosecutors detailed that the defendant, who owned a marketing agency and chaired a lobbying group in Berlin, leveraged her extensive network in military and political circles to benefit Russian intelligence.
Over several years, Ilona W. furnished the Russian Embassy intelligence officer with countless insights into significant events and facilitated his attendance at these gatherings—often under a false name—enabling him to cultivate his own intelligence network. Additionally, she attended these events herself to identify potential targets. Prosecutors alleged that Ilona W. also sought to enlist personnel from the German Ministry of Defense and the defense industry to further her own objectives.
On behalf of her Russian Embassy contact, the woman endeavored to gather intelligence on German defense policy and the defense industry, particularly concerning Russia's conflict in Ukraine. Ilona W. was apprehended in January and charged on September 6, remaining in pretrial detention since.
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