German police have arrested two men suspected of spying for Russia. These German-Russian nationals are accused of acting as agents for sabotage purposes.

German authorities announced on Thursday that two men were arrested in Bayreuth, Bavaria, on suspicion of espionage for Russia. The individuals are alleged to have acted as agents for sabotage and were involved in the preparation of explosives, according to the German Federal Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe.

Dieter S. and Alexander J. were apprehended by federal police, with assistance from Bavarian state police, who conducted searches at the suspects' residences and workplaces.

The two men allegedly surveyed potential targets for attacks, including US military installations in Germany.

Dieter S., who prosecutors claim communicated with a Russian secret service agent, faces charges of conspiracy to commit explosion and arson. It's alleged that since October 2023, he has been in dialogue with the agent, exchanging ideas about potential sabotage operations.

These actions were purportedly aimed at undermining Germany's military assistance to Ukraine.

S. allegedly informed the Russian operative that he was ready to execute attacks on military infrastructure and industrial sites in Germany. According to the Spiegel news magazine, these facilities included the Grafenwöhr army base in Bavaria, where Ukrainian soldiers receive training on how to operate US Abrams tanks.

S. had gathered information about potential targets for attacks, scouting out some of the objects and capturing photos and videos of military transports and goods, among other things. He allegedly transmitted this collected information to his handler. Suspect J. is accused of aiding him from at least March 2024.

Additionally, J. faces charges of belonging to a foreign terrorist organization, based on a "strong suspicion" that he served as a fighter for an armed unit affiliated with the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in eastern Ukraine between December 2014 and September 2016.

The DPR, which is pro-Russian, asserted control over the Ukrainian administrative district of Donetsk in 2014, seeking secession from Ukraine. Subsequently, it engaged in intense clashes with the Ukrainian armed forces and is known to have frequently resorted to violence against civilians.

Authorities emphasize that Germany, one of Kyiv's major military aid providers, is a prime target for Russian espionage operations.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that security authorities have thwarted potential explosive attacks aimed at undermining Germany's military support to Ukraine. She characterized the alleged spy activity as a significant threat linked to President Vladimir Putin's regime.

Germany's Interior Minister Marco Buschmann praised the investigative achievement in combating Putin's sabotage and espionage network.

"We are aware that the Russian power apparatus is also directing its efforts towards our country," he tweeted. "In response to this threat, we must react defensively and decisively."