Germany detains two Belarusians over alleged Nuremberg sabotage plot
Prosecutors say the men, suspected of planning to set fires near a railway and power line for Russia, are also linked to a September blast in Romania.
German federal prosecutors are investigating two Belarusian nationals suspected of planning a sabotage attack near Nuremberg, allegedly on behalf of Russia, Der Spiegel reported, citing security sources. The men, aged 39 and 50, have been held in pre-trial detention since the beginning of October.
The suspects are accused of planning to set fires near a railway line and a high-voltage power line in southern Germany, according to Spiegel's report. Munich's federal prosecutor's office declined to comment when asked about the case.
Dutch newspaper De Morgen reported that the planned attack targeted an as-yet unidentified building or piece of critical infrastructure, with the stated aim of causing substantial material damage "to endanger the security of the Federal Republic of Germany." Prosecutors said the men are suspected of acting on Russia's orders in exchange for payment. No casualties or damage in Germany have been reported.
Romanian authorities are separately investigating the same two men over a suspected role in an arson attack on an industrial site in central Romania, in the city of Brasov, overnight on 14 September, Reuters reported. The site houses a defence-industry factory that manufactures grenade launchers and ammunition.
Romania's organised crime prosecutors have requested the extradition of the two Belarusians held in Germany, as well as a Ukrainian national detained in Poland, saying all three are suspected of links to the Brasov case. Romania's intelligence service said on Monday it had identified a Russia-directed sabotage network it holds responsible for the September fire at the industrial site, which sits near a state-owned arms company.
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations by Germany and other countries that it organises sabotage attacks in Europe.
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What we know
- German federal prosecutors are investigating two Belarusian men, 39 and 50, over an alleged plan to set fires near a railway line and power line close to Nuremberg, allegedly on Russia's orders, Der Spiegel reported.
- The suspects have been held in pre-trial detention since early October; Munich prosecutors declined to comment.
- The same two men are also being investigated by Romanian authorities over a 14 September arson attack on an industrial park in Brasov that houses a defence factory.
- Romania has requested the men's extradition, along with that of a Ukrainian national held in Poland, over the Brasov case.
- Romania's intelligence service said it has identified a Russia-directed sabotage network responsible for the Brasov fire.
Not yet confirmed
- The exact intended target of the planned Nuremberg-area attack has not been identified.
Why it matters for Europe
Germany and Romania, like several other EU and NATO countries, say they are confronting a campaign of Russian-directed : sabotage and interference aimed at weakening European support for Ukraine. The suspected targeting of rail and power infrastructure in Germany, alongside the arson attack on a weapons-producing industrial site in Romania, points to a pattern of attacks against both military supply chains and civilian energy networks across the alliance.
The case also shows the cross-border reach of these investigations, with German, Romanian and Polish authorities each holding a suspect linked to the same alleged network, and Romania now seeking to bring all three men to face prosecution there.
Sources
Reported by 5 reports from 5 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- Index.hr: U Njemačkoj uhićena dvojica Bjelorusa. Planirali su sabotaže za Rusiju
- Tagesspiegel: Ermittlungen auch in Rumänien: Zwei Belarussen sollen Feuer nahe Bahnstrecke bei Nürnberg geplant haben
- Stern: Anschlag geplant?: Sabotageplan in Nürnberg? Zwei Männer in U-Haft
- Tagesspiegel: Anschlag geplant?: Sabotageplan in Nürnberg? Zwei Männer in U-Haft
- 24sata: Njemačka uhitila dvojicu Bjelorusa: Sumnjiče ih da su za Rusiju planirali sabotaže i požar
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Who was arrested?
- Two Belarusian nationals, aged 39 and 50, suspected of planning a sabotage attack near Nuremberg, Germany, allegedly on Russia's behalf.
- Is this linked to another attack?
- Yes. Romanian authorities are investigating the same two men over a September arson attack on an industrial park in Brasov, Romania, that houses a defence factory.
- Has Russia responded?
- Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations from Germany and other countries that it organises sabotage attacks in Europe.
This article was written with AI assistance from 6 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.