Media uncover details about embassy staffer expelled from Germany and Ukrainian woman spying for Russia

Media outlets have learned the name and other details of a Russian deputy military attaché expelled by Germany for espionage, who is believed to be the handler of a Ukrainian woman detained on spying charges, as well as details of her work for Russian intelligence.

Source: an investigation by The Insider and Der Spiegel, as reported by European Pravda

Details: According to their findings, the expelled Russian embassy employee is Russian Main Intelligence Directorate Colonel Andrey Mayorov, a deputy military attaché in Germany.

He is believed to have been the contact and handler of Ilona Kopylova-Wiener, who was detained on suspicion of espionage. She holds Ukrainian, German and Russian citizenship.

The Insider reports that Mayorov began his career as a paratrooper in Pskov and later served at the 162nd Centre for Military and Technical Information of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).

Ilona Kopylova-Wiener is 56 years old, originally from Dnipro, and has long lived in Germany. She headed the consulting firm Wiener & Partner and frequently met with German businesspeople and politicians, including attending events involving top political figures. On one occasion, she was even seen standing behind Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his meeting with Zelenskyy.

The woman collected information that could be useful to Russia and regularly passed it on to Russian intelligence. Investigators believe she may have escorted her handler, Mayorov, to some meetings under a false name.

It was also established that Kopylova-Wiener became acquainted with Walter Storz, former head of Germany's 61st Air Force Test Centre, and a retired air force officer, Uwe V., who served at Büchel Air Base, where US nuclear weapons are stored. It is unclear whether she obtained any valuable information through them. Storz was a patron of a non-governmental organisation headed by Kopylova-Wiener, and she used their acquaintance to gain access to events related to Europe's defence industry.

After Kopylova-Wiener was exposed, searches were reportedly conducted at both individuals' premises and electronic devices were seized, but neither was detained.

Background:

• Earlier this week, Germany reported the detention of a woman holding Ukrainian and German citizenship on suspicion of espionage.
• Following this, Germany expelled a Russian embassy staffer on espionage charges. The Russian embassy called the accusations a "provocation".

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