Germany arrests three Ukrainians over Russian sabotage plot

A German federal police officer hold a spolice signalling disc during a control of vehicles coming into Germany. (File/AFP)
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Updated 14 May 2025
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Germany arrests three Ukrainians over Russian sabotage plot

  • The accused allegedly aimed to send packages from Germany containing explosive devices to recipients in Ukraine
  • Germany has been on high alert for sabotage plots directed from Moscow

FRANKFURT: German prosecutors said Wednesday they had arrested three Ukrainians accused of plotting sabotage attacks on goods transports for Russia, amid soaring tensions between Moscow and Berlin.

The suspects, detained in Germany and Switzerland, had told individuals “believed to be acting on behalf of Russian state authorities” that they were ready “to commit arson and explosive attacks on goods transport in Germany,” federal prosecutors said.

The accused allegedly aimed to send packages from Germany containing explosive devices to recipients in Ukraine, which would go off as they were being transported, they said.

Germany has been on high alert for sabotage plots directed from Moscow since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine led to a rapid deterioration in ties.

In a speech to parliament Wednesday, new Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russia of targeting Germany and other European countries with acts ranging from cyberattacks, espionage and sabotage to disinformation, poison attacks and murders.

Such acts were “overwhelmingly the work of the Russian government and its helpers,” he said, accusing Moscow of “attempts at division and destabilization.”

In the latest case Wednesday, one of the suspects, partially identified as Vladyslav T., posted two test packages in Cologne at the end of March, which contained GPS trackers, prosecutors said.

The order to send them was given by Yevhen B., who provided the contents from the packages via the third suspect, Daniil B.

The suspects, arrested between Friday last week and Tuesday, are “strongly suspected” of acting as foreign agents for the purpose of carrying out sabotage, prosecutors said.

They are also accused of plotting to commit arson and cause explosions.

Vladyslav T. and Daniil B., arrested in the German cities of Cologne and Konstanz, respectively, have been remanded in custody.

Yevhen B. was detained in the Swiss canton of Thurgau, and is due to appear before a judge after being transferred to Germany.

Moscow-Berlin relations have been in the deep freeze since Russia invaded Ukraine and the West imposed a barrage of punishing sanctions.

Germany, Kyiv’s second-biggest military back after the United States, has been shaken by a string of alleged sabotage and espionage cases linked to Russia.

In a case separate from Wednesday’s arrests, media recently reported that European intelligence services believed that Russia was behind a plot to plant explosive devices on cargo planes.

Several people reportedly implicated in the operation, which saw parcels explode at two DHL depots last July, were thought to be low-level operatives hired by Moscow.

In other cases of alleged Russian interference, a former German intelligence officer stands accused of handing sensitive information to Moscow while Berlin has blamed Moscow for being behind a cyberattack on members of the center-left SPD party.

Russia has denied being behind such actions.

Merz has vowed to keep up Germany’s support for Ukraine, insisting that: “There must be no doubt where we stand: namely... on the side of this attacked country.”


Slovenia bars two far-right Israeli ministers

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (L) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Updated 5 sec ago
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Slovenia bars two far-right Israeli ministers

LJUBLJANA: Slovenia announced on Thursday that it would ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering in what authorities said was a first in the European Union.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will be declared “persona non grata,” the Slovenian government said in a statement, accusing them of inciting “extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians” with “their genocidal statements.”
In June, Australia, Canada, Britain, New Zealand and Norway imposed similar sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir, key coalition partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Ben Gvir and Smotrich have drawn international criticism for their hard-line stance on the Gaza war and comments about settlements in the occupied West Bank, the other Palestinian territory.
Smotrich, who lives in a West Bank settlement, has supported the expansion of settlements and has called for the territory’s annexation.
“This is the first measure of this nature in the EU,” Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said of the ban.
On May 21, President Natasa Pirc Musar in an address to the European parliament urged the EU to take stronger action, condemning “the genocide” in Gaza.
Slovenia was in May among six European countries to say that they “firmly reject any demographic or territorial change in Gaza” after Israel announced plans to expand its military offensive in the Palestinian territory.
Last year, Slovenia announced it was recognizing a Palestinian state after Ireland, Norway and Spain, in moves partly fueled by condemnation of Israel’s bombing of Gaza after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Nearly 150 countries recognize a Palestinian state.


Russia jails major general for six years over fraud at military theme park

Updated 35 min 38 sec ago
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Russia jails major general for six years over fraud at military theme park

  • Major General Vladimir Shesterov was detained last August for his role in the scheme at the Patriot Park
  • The scandal at Patriot Park is one in a slew of criminal cases against former top officials

MOSCOW: A senior Russian Defense Ministry official was sentenced to six years in prison on Thursday after being found guilty of fraud and forgery in relation to an embezzlement scheme at a military theme park, the RIA state news agency reported.

Major General Vladimir Shesterov was detained last August for his role in the scheme at the Patriot Park, a war-themed tourist attraction outside Moscow. Two other men, including Pavel Popov, a former deputy defense minister, are also facing prosecution.

RIA, citing the investigation materials, said Shesterov and the ex-director of the park, Vyacheslav Akhmedov, who is also in custody, forged documents related to completed construction work at the park in the amount of some 26 million roubles ($332,000).

The scandal at Patriot Park is one in a slew of criminal cases against former top officials that have engulfed the Russian army in recent months.

Shesterov fully admitted guilt, but insisted he had not received any material benefit from the scheme.

“I am to blame, I don’t whitewash myself, I sincerely repent,” he said in court, according to RIA.

Akhmedov has also entered a guilty plea in his trial.

The case against Popov, the former deputy defense minister, is ongoing. RIA reported that Popov had instructed Shesterov and Akhmedov to build him a two-story house, a guest house with a sauna, and a two-story garage on land Popov owned in the Moscow region — with the Defense Ministry footing the bill.

Popov has previously denied wrongdoing. Reuters was unable to contact his lawyer on Thursday.

Patriot Park displays a vast collection of Russian and Soviet weaponry, and offers visitors the chance to clamber on tanks and take part in combat simulations. On its website, it also features a photo gallery of “heroes of the special military operation” — Russia’s official term for its war in Ukraine.


Saudi Arabia’s NCNP drives non-profit growth, global ties at World Expo

Updated 42 min 36 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s NCNP drives non-profit growth, global ties at World Expo

  • NCNP hosted the panel session — The Future of Non-Profits — at the Saudi Pavilion
  • The panel demonstrated the NCNP’s goal of activating the Kingdom’s SDGs through innovation, collaboration, and strategic partnerships

OSAKA: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Non-Profit Sector (NCNP) is expanding at a rapid pace with the number of registered NPOs surpassing 5,700 last year.

In a bid to capitalize on the situation and position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in the sector, the NCNP brought together leading voices from the Kingdom’s non-profit organizations (NPOs) for a high-profile panel discussion and for a separate U-Table meeting at the World Expo in Osaka.

NCNP hosted the panel session — The Future of Non-Profits — at the Saudi Pavilion to highlight how the Kingdom has advanced the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through non-profit entities.

The panel demonstrated the NCNP’s goal of activating the Kingdom’s SDGs through innovation, collaboration, and strategic partnerships.

The panel featured HRH Princess Luluah Bint Nawaf Al Saud, President of the Board at Mawaddah Association for Family Stability (MAFS), Reem Abukhayal, Media and PR Manager of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Dr. Abdullah AlMuhanna, Vice President of Sector Empowerment at National Developmental Housing Foundation (Sakan).

NCNP’s International Communication lead, Alaa Alghamdi addressed the successful models and initiatives led by Saudi NPOs and the challenges and opportunities in scaling impact through innovation, partnerships, and sustainability.

“We were very excited to highlight how NCNP is building a sustainable future through non-profit innovation during our informative panel discussion,” Mishari Alturaif, GM of Government Outsourcing at NCNP, said.

“The Future of Non-Profits discussion underscores the ambitious efforts that NCNP is putting into supporting innovation across the local and global non-profit sector through constructive dialogue and engagement.”

NCNP also hosted a U-Table meeting with leading Saudi and international NPO’s that introduced NCNP and its international collaboration goals.

Participants from the Saudi nonprofit sector included Bunyan Charity, the National Developmental Housing Foundation (Sakan), Saudi Food Bank, and Alwdad Orphanage Care.

The participants exchanged best practices in non-profit governance and public-civil partnerships and identified areas for future collaboration aligned with national priorities and SDGS.

They also discussed the importance of shifting the mindset in the non-profit sector from one that focuses on charity to one of development, allowing for social innovation and entrepreneurship to support economic growth.

“At the U-Table, we had the opportunity to learn about how NCNP is partnering globally to advance non-profit solutions for a better world, solutions that support economic growth and innovation,” Sadakazu Ikawa, co-founder and Executive Director at the Trust Based Philanthropy Japan and Manager at the AVPN.

“We look forward to working with NCNP to activate solutions that help achieve sustainable development worldwide.”

In Osaka, the NCNP team also met with the Japan Foundation to explore opportunities for collaboration with Japanese entities and to exchange international expertise and best practices in the non-profit sector.

Under NCNP’s leadership, Saudi Arabia’s non-profit ecosystem has expanded rapidly. The number of registered NPOs surpassed 5,700 last year, with over 6,000 fundraising licenses issued and more than 2,000 active civil associations. Volunteerism has surged from just under 23,000 in 2015 to 1.2 million in 2024.

Thirty government entities now contribute to non-profit development, showing their rising national importance. Thus, NCNP continues to serve as the Kingdom’s catalyst for non-profit growth, linking local action with global collaboration to unlock sustainable impact.


French court tries couple accused of plan to ‘sacrifice’ son

Updated 17 July 2025
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French court tries couple accused of plan to ‘sacrifice’ son

  • The two music teachers were arrested in southern Spain in late 2023
  • The couple, who hold “anti-system” and “mystical” beliefs, vehemently reject their charges

BORDEAUX: A French couple went on trial on Thursday accused of planning to “sacrifice” their five-year-old son in the Moroccan desert, accusations they have strongly denied.

The two music teachers were arrested in southern Spain in late 2023 as they were about to board a ferry to Morocco after buying a new four-wheel-drive and subletting their apartment near the French city of Bordeaux.

An alarmed relative had told French prosecutors that the father intended to “sacrifice” his son in the desert because he believed he was “possessed,” the investigation showed.

The father, Florian L., denies ever having said that, his lawyer Audrey Boussillon said.

“Never did he have the intention to harm his son in any way,” she added.

The couple, who hold “anti-system” and “mystical” beliefs, vehemently reject the charges of being part of a criminal gang and failing in their duties as parents, their defense team has said.

The attorney for the mother Marie L., Aurelie Filippi-Codaccioni, said the couple had been to Morocco two years earlier and had wanted to return for an undetermined period.

But Merlene Labadie, a lawyer representing the interests of the child, said the couple’s beliefs endangered their son, who spoke of the importance of “being cold, scared and removing the snake within us” when found.

He is now in the custody of his maternal grandparents, she said.

The trial is to last a single day and the verdict will likely be announced at a later date.


Britain seeks German help against people smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit

Updated 17 July 2025
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Britain seeks German help against people smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit

  • Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz signed the first ever ‘friendship treaty’ between their countries at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum
  • Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer’s year-old Labour government, as support for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars

LONDON: Britain sought a firm commitment Thursday from Germany to change its law to help smash people smuggling gangs, as the two countries agreed to boost defense ties on the first official UK visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The trip comes a week after undocumented migrants also topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz signed the first ever “friendship treaty” between their countries at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum before heading for talks at the PM’s Downing Street office.
Merz said London and Berlin had agreed an exchange program for German and British students.
Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the “young generation” to get to know each other and their respective countries was a “good basis for the further development of our relations.”
The two leaders were also expected to unveil a deal to jointly produce military goods such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to “billions of pounds of additional defense exports,” Downing Street said.
They were to commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) in the next decade.
“Chancellor Merz’s commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome,” Starmer said ahead of the talks.
His office said it was hoped the German legal changes could be made “this year.”
Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer’s year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars.
More than 22,500 would-be asylum seekers have arrived on England’s southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone.
The “friendship treaty” also seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbors.

Macron’s trip in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since Brexit — the UK’s acrimonious 2020 departure from the bloc.
A German government source said “we shouldn’t underestimate” how much relations with the UK had improved since the “traumatic” experience of Brexit.
The friendship deal would be a “foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems,” Starmer said.
The two leaders were also to discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump’s plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries.
The visit is Merz’s first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip by train to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May.
The wide-ranging treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and include a mutual defense pact.
“There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other,” pact says, with a pledge the two countries “shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack.”
While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defense as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defense cooperation, including operations on NATO’s eastern flank.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accompanied Merz, meeting with his British counterpart, David Lammy.
On migration, Merz’s government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalize the facilitation of “illegal migration.”
This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings.
The two countries will also commit to improving train connections.
Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s — the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.