The men, who come from Ukraine, Russia and Armenia, are said to have spied on a person from Ukraine who was in Germany. The suspects were arrested on Wednesday in a cafe in Frankfurt after spying on the individual in question.
Germany’s public prosecutor’s office did not say which nation’s intelligence service the three men allegedly worked for.
Warns: Increased threat from Russia and China
Earlier this year, several people were detained in the country on suspicion of spying for China. According to Germany’s intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang, the threat from both Russia and China in terms of illegal intelligence activity is increasing.
– I even spoke before Russia invaded Ukraine about a threat level similar to that of the Cold War, he said in April in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
– This has of course intensified with the war and can be about cyberespionage, influence operations and disinformation. We also have to deal with the fact that Russia can carry out acts of sabotage here, Haldenwang said.