The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany has charged a woman identified in court documents as Ilona V. She was arrested in Berlin in January 2026 and has been in custody since then. The indictment was filed on September 6. The investigation claims that by the fall of 2023, the woman had established contact with a staff member of the Russian intelligence service working at the Russian embassy in Berlin. The accused ran a marketing agency and headed a lobbying organization, which provided her with extensive connections in political and military circles in Germany. According to the prosecution, she informed her Russian contact about high-level events and assisted him in attending them—sometimes under a fictitious name. It is believed that in this way, the spy was attempting to expand his own network of sources and find individuals with valuable information. The woman also attended such events herself, identifying potentially useful contacts. Furthermore, the prosecution claims that she attempted to recruit representatives from the German Ministry of Defense and the defense industry. Particular interest was shown in companies in the arms sector, drone testing, and alleged drone supplies to Ukraine. The investigation also involves two former employees of the German armed forces who provided the woman with information. Investigators are determining whether they understood to whom this information could ultimately be directed. After Ilona V.'s arrest, German authorities expelled a staff member of the Russian embassy, presumably linked to the case. Berlin stated that it would not tolerate espionage activities under the cover of diplomatic status. Now the court must decide whether to accept the indictment for consideration. Until a verdict is reached, the woman is presumed innocent.
