The Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday that it has filed charges against a German and Ukrainian citizen before the State Security Senate of the Kammergericht in Berlin, alleging intelligence agency activity.
The accused, Ilona W., reportedly provided information to a Russian intelligence official stationed at the Berlin embassy. Through her operation of a marketing agency and her role as chair of a lobbying association in Berlin, W. maintained access to high-ranking military and political circles. According to investigators, she began corresponding with the Russian embassy agent in October 2023, supplying him with details about prominent events. She subsequently facilitated his participation in several of these functions, sometimes under false identities, in an effort to establish an espionage network.
Furthermore, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office claims that W. attempted to recruit individuals from the Federal Ministry of Defence and the arms industry for her contact’s benefit. Her efforts focused on gathering information regarding German defense policy and the arms industry, particularly in the context of the war between Russia and Ukraine. W. was arrested on January 21, 2026, and has been held in pre-trial detention since that date.
