Kazakh national detained in Germany turns out to be Russian spy

A 47-year-old Kazakh national who is believed to have been spying for Russia from Berlin has been detained by Germany's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office. He is said to have been preparing to carry out acts of sabotage.

Source: European Pravda, citing Tagesschau, a German TV news service

Details: According to investigators, he mainly took photographs on his smartphone and passed them on to a contact of his in the Russian intelligence services.

Investigators reported that the photographs captured a wide range of buildings, vehicles and technical facilities which, in the man's view, could be of military or strategic interest. Among other things, he is alleged to have photographed a military convoy on a motorway, official vehicles of politicians and intelligence officers, as well as government buildings, mostly in Berlin.

The suspect also appears to have shown interest in companies linked to the defence industry.

Investigators noted that, on the one hand, they were surprised by the sheer volume of material and the broad scope of the suspect's activities. On the other hand, based on the current analysis of his mobile phone, he seems to have photographed only what was in the public domain or already known.

However, from a legal standpoint, this does not rule out criminal liability for "espionage".

Since, according to available data, military vehicles of another NATO member state were involved in at least one case, criminal liability under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement also applies.

Background:

• It was previously reported that in Thessaloniki, the authorities arrested a 55-year-old Greek man, originally from a former Soviet Union country, who is suspected of involvement in a network allegedly planning killings in Lithuania.
• In Poland, a soldier from the Territorial Defence Forces was detained on suspicion of spying for Russian intelligence.

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