Additionally, in April 2024, a former German soldier was sentenced to three and a half years for sharing military secrets with Russia.

In 2019, a Russian national was convicted in Germany for the murder of a Georgian citizen linked to the Chechen war, underscoring a broader pattern of targeted killings abroad.

European security services are increasingly concerned about the rise of hybrid attacks from Russia, particularly since the escalation of the war in Ukraine.

The suspects, arrested by the Hessian State Criminal Police in June 2024, have been in pre-trial detention since their arrest.

The suspects aimed to lure the Ukrainian soldier to a café in Frankfurt on June 19, 2024, under false pretenses to gather information about him, but the meeting was thwarted when the target alerted the police.

Vardges I. recruited Robert A. and Arman S. to arrange this meeting, which ultimately did not occur due to prior police contact with the target.

Three men in Germany have been charged with espionage for Russia and potentially plotting to kill a Ukrainian man, as announced by the German Federal Prosecutor's Office on May 28, 2025.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern, as Russia has been implicated in previous assassination plots in Germany against individuals connected to the Ukrainian conflict.

Their plans became apparent due to the Ukrainian's previous contact with German police authorities.

Prosecutors indicated that the surveillance operation was likely a precursor to more serious intelligence operations, including the assassination of the target.

Notably, a July 2024 plot against Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger also highlights Russia's history of targeted violence linked to the ongoing conflict.

Western officials have accused Russia of orchestrating numerous attacks, including espionage and sabotage, since its invasion of Ukraine.