An Armenian, a Ukrainian, and a Russian Walked Into a Café – No Joke, an Assassination Plot

On June 19 last year, three men entered the “Celona” café in Frankfurt am Main, where they had arranged to meet a former member of Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU). Instead, they were arrested by special forces from the Hessian State Criminal Police Office (LKA), who had them under surveillance after the ex-AFU member became suspicious and reported the group’s initial approach.

When arrested, according to an LKA spokesperson cited by the German WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung media outlets, they were found to be in possession of a large quantity of cash, several passports, and GPS tracking devices.

The men, identified only as Robert A, Vardges I, and Arman S – thought to be an Armenian, a Ukrainian and a Russian – were placed into custody where they have been held for almost a year while they were investigated by Germany’s law enforcement and security agencies.

On Wednesday, they were formally charged with carrying out illegal activity on behalf of an unspecified Russian intelligence agency. It is thought that they were tasked to spy on the unnamed former AFU member whom they are strongly suspected of planning to assassinate.

Unverified reports from the German media suggest that the Ukrainian soldier, who with his family is now under police protection, was involved in the killing of a captured Russian prisoner of war in Bucha near Kyiv in March 2022, which had been captured on video – which could explain why he had become a target.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to convene leaders from Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Poland later this month to prepare a common approach ahead of the July NATO summit. The meeting aims to highlight Europe’s efforts to assume greater responsibility for its own defense amid growing tensions with US President Donald Trump over NATO, military spending and the recent conflict with Iran.

The three were remanded in custody while the State Security Senate of the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court decides on if and when to schedule a trial.

This isn’t the first time that suspected Russian agents have been arrested in Germany.

On Tuesday, May 20, three individuals who hold dual German Russian citizenship went on trial in Munich, accused of planning attacks on critical military and civilian infrastructure in Bavaria on behalf of Russia and planning sabotage on routes used to transport military aid to Ukraine, according to the Guardian.

The three men, identified only as Dieter S, Alexander J and Alex D, were arrested in April 2024 near the Bavarian town of Bayreuth.