German security services have dismantled a high-profile Russian espionage operation in the capital, arresting a well-connected spy accused of infiltrating Berlin's political elite to serve the Kremlin's war machine.
According to a joint investigation by the German news magazine Der Spiegel and the investigative outlet The Insider, the suspect, identified as Ilona W. (also known as Ilona Kopylova-Wiener), was taken into custody by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) on Wednesday.
The arrest marks a significant success for Western counterintelligence efforts against Moscow's ongoing hybrid warfare. The suspect, a 56-year-old holding citizenship in Germany, Russia, and Ukraine, allegedly used her background to pose as a representative of the Ukrainian community while secretly passing sensitive information to Russian military intelligence (GRU).
Access to high-level targets
The alleged agent operated a consulting firm, "Wiener & Partner," using it as a cover to cultivate relationships with influential figures in politics and the defense industry. Reports indicate she was present at a German-Ukrainian Economic Forum on 15 December, sitting just rows away from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Der Spiegel reported that Ilona W. actively documented the event, taking photos of the leaders. Her presence near the Ukrainian president highlights the persistent security threat posed by Russian operatives embedding themselves in European civil society.
The suspect also succeeded in getting close to other prominent figures, including former FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai and Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor, often documenting these meetings to bolster her cover as a legitimate networker.
The Russian handler
The operation was reportedly directed by Andrei Mayorov, a colonel in the GRU who was operating under diplomatic cover as Russia's deputy military attaché in Berlin.
The Insider identified Mayorov as a former paratrooper previously attached to the GRU's 162nd Center for Military-Technical Information. He has since been expelled by the German government.
According to the reports, Ilona W. did not merely pass information; she allegedly facilitated direct access for Russian intelligence, at times smuggling her handler into political events under a false identity.
Targeting Western defense secrets
The espionage efforts appeared to focus heavily on undermining military support for Ukraine. Investigators believe the suspect was tasked with gathering intelligence on the German arms industry and, crucially, planned drone deliveries to the Ukrainian front lines.
To this end, Ilona W. reportedly targeted two elderly German nationals with past access to sensitive military information:
- Walter S. (Walter Storz), 81: A former engineer at the Bundeswehr's Technical Center 61 in Manching, known for its work on military aircraft and drones.
- Uwe V.: A retired Air Force staff officer who previously served at the Büchel Air Base—a site critical to NATO's nuclear sharing arrangement where US nuclear weapons are stored.
The Insider noted that Storz served as a trustee for a nonprofit organization headed by the suspect, a position she allegedly used to gain entry to defense industry events. While extensive searches were conducted at the men's residences, it remains unclear if classified material was successfully transferred.
A Ukrainian-born agent working against Ukraine
The case has drawn attention due to the suspect's origins. Born in Dnipro, Ukraine, Ilona W. is accused of aiding the aggressor currently waging war on the city of her birth. While publicly advocating for peace and representing herself as a voice for Ukrainians, she was allegedly working to sabotage her native country's defense capabilities.
The investigation suggests she also sought "background information" on participants of a NATO conference held at Berlin's Hotel Adlon in November 2023, attended by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and high-ranking Western military officers.
German authorities monitored the network for months before moving to arrest Ilona W., preventing further potential compromise of Western security interests.
