Munich, Oct 30, (dpa/GNA) – A German court on Thursday, found three German-Russian dual nationals guilty of spying for Moscow, with the suspected ringleader also convicted for planning acts of sabotage, and fighting for a militia in eastern Ukraine.
The Munich Higher Regional Court sentenced the main suspect to six years in prison, while his two co-defendants received suspended sentences of six months and one year.
The 41-year-old main defendant was found to have served as a paramilitary in an armed terrorist group, fighting against Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine between 2014 and 2016, according to the court.
The man rejected the accusations in court, saying he was in a relationship with a woman from eastern Ukraine at the time, and was never involved in warfare.
He also denied spying for Russia in Germany between October 2023 and April 2024, and planning acts of sabotage on military infrastructure and railway lines.
According to investigators, the two co-defendants supported his efforts for some weeks towards the end of that period.
The men rejected the espionage charges in court, saying they had only been joking when discussing the matter.
However, prosecutors considered the main defendant to have strong ties to Russian intelligence, while accusing the other two men of having taken the very deliberate decision to engage in espionage activities.
Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence the main defendant to eight years and eight months in prison, while urging a one-year suspended sentence for the other two men.
Defence lawyers had asked for their clients to be acquitted.
GNA