Businesswoman in Germany accused of spying for Russia
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor General has charged 57-year-old Berlin businesswoman Ilona V. with activities in the interests of Russia, an aggressor state. The woman holds German and Ukrainian citizenship, Deutsche Welle English reports.
Contacts in political and military circles
According to the prosecutor’s office, Ilona V. ran a marketing agency in Berlin and headed a lobbying association. This gave her extensive contacts in political and military circles.
Investigators claim that, at least since October 2023, she had been in contact with a staff officer of Russian intelligence who worked at the Russian Embassy in Berlin.
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Facilitating access to events
According to the indictment, the businesswoman repeatedly provided this officer with information about important events and helped arrange his access to them. In some cases, according to the prosecutor’s office, access was arranged under a fictitious name.
Prosecutors believe this was intended to help the Russian intelligence officer build his own network of contacts for intelligence purposes, including to obtain information on Germany’s defense policy. Ilona V. was detained on January 21 and remains in pretrial detention.
