German prosecutors have requested an eight-year prison sentence for a 39-year-old German-Russian national accused of spying for Russia and scouting Western military targets, as Berlin confronts a broader Kremlin-linked espionage campaign in Europe amid Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
German officials have repeatedly warned of intensifying Russian intelligence activity across the EU, including in Germany’s defense related areas, a trend Kyiv Post has tracked in recent months.
The defendant, identified only as Dieter S, allegedly gathered information on US and German military infrastructure and relayed it to Russian intelligence through intermediaries. Prosecutors presented their sentencing request at the Higher Regional Court of Munich on Friday, Oct. 17, according to reports on German television and in Die Zeit.
Trio on trial since May
Two co-defendants – Alexander J and Alexander V – are also on trial for assisting reconnaissance and planning possible sabotage activities in Germany. The case opened on May 20, at the Munich court, advancing through months of hearings.
From “a joke” to espionage allegations
At the opening of the trial, the three men denied the charges, describing their activities as “a joke” or “role-playing,” according to Bayerischer Rundfunk. They insisted they never intended to share sensitive information with Russia’s authorities.
Prosecutors, however, argue that the trio’s actions went far beyond casual curiosity. Investigators said the group filmed and mapped several US and German military sites in Bavaria and Brandenburg and sought contact with Russian officials through online channels.
From surveillance to sentencing
German security services arrested the suspects in April 2024 following surveillance that linked them to pro-Russian social-media groups. Authorities later alleged the men had ties to an ex-Russian army officer believed to have been coordinating recruitment efforts for Moscow within the European Union.
The trial began on May 20, before the Munich Higher Regional Court, and has since focused on evaluating the intent and scope of the alleged espionage network. Prosecutors this month presented their closing arguments, calling for eight years and eight months for the main defendant and shorter terms for his two associates.
The defense is expected to deliver its closing statement in the coming weeks, with a verdict likely before the end of the year.
Legal context
Germany has faced a surge in spying and sabotage cases linked to Moscow since 2022 and has reshaped its counter-intelligence leadership in the face of the threat.
Under Section 99 of Germany’s Criminal Code, intelligence activity for a foreign power carries lengthy prison terms. The Munich court has not yet issued a verdict.
Germany’s wider espionage surge
According to Germany’s domestic intelligence service (BfV), there has been an increasing use of untrained auxiliaries recruited via social media or messaging apps since Europe expelled hundreds of suspected Russian intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover in 2022–23.
That shift makes it difficult to prove direct Kremlin tasking in court, as low-level agents conduct surveillance, arson or sabotage for modest pay – preserving Moscow’s deniability.
BfV has warned that Russia is recruiting inside Germany to replace expelled staff. Reported goals of such operations include not only intelligence collection but also sowing fear and testing vulnerabilities around Western support for Ukraine.
Prosecutors said the Munich case reflects ongoing attempts by Russian agencies to collect information on Western weapons transfers to Ukraine and to probe vulnerabilities in European defense systems.
In Frankfurt, federal prosecutors charged three suspects – a Ukrainian, a Russian and an Armenian – with spying on a Ukrainian national in Germany, possibly intent on killing. That trial is expected to start by the end of the year, according to public reporting and court briefings.
Kyiv Post’s continuing ongoing coverage of espionage cases in Europe can be accessed via the Espionage topic hub.