Ukrainian suspect in Russian sabotage plot linked to weapons cache near Berlin - Spiegel

The suspect, identified by the outlet as Vadym S., allegedly traveled from Poland to Berlin on October 1, 2025, where investigators believe he collected two small packages and transported them to a hiding place in a wooded area on the outskirts of the German capital.

According to Der Spiegel, Polish investigators tracked the suspect through his smartphone. He allegedly photographed the cache and sent its location to one of his contacts.

German security services later received information intercepted by their Polish counterparts and discovered two handguns and ammunition at the site.

After leaving Berlin, Vadym S. returned to Poland and later traveled to Romania. He was arrested in Bucharest in mid-October together with another Ukrainian in a separate case involving explosives.

Romania's Intelligence Service (SRI) said at the time that the two suspects, who had entered Romania from Poland, attempted to send two parcels containing improvised explosive devices to an office of Ukrainian delivery company Nova Post in Bucharest.

The explosives were concealed among headphones and car parts and were designed to be detonated remotely, according to Romanian authorities. The devices were identified and neutralized before they could explode.

The SRI said its investigation indicated that the suspects were part of a broader Russian sabotage network targeting European countries.

German authorities had disclosed in August that they discovered the weapons cache near Berlin and were investigating whether it had been created on behalf of Russian intelligence services. Germany's federal prosecutor is investigating the case on suspicion of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state.