German federal prosecutors have charged Ilona W., a 57-year-old Berlin businesswoman, with carrying out intelligence activities for Russia, according to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The German-Ukrainian dual national was arrested on January 21 and remains in pre-trial detention.
Prosecutors allege that Ilona W. used her work as the head of a Berlin marketing agency and chair of a lobbying association to draw on contacts in political and military circles. They say she had been in contact since at least October 2023 with a full-time Russian intelligence officer based at the Russian Embassy in Berlin.
According to the indictment, she repeatedly gave the officer information about high-profile events and helped him gain entry to some of them, occasionally using a false name. Prosecutors say the alleged purpose was to help the officer build a network for intelligence work. They also accuse Ilona W. of attending events to identify people who might be useful contacts or potential targets.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office further alleges that she tried to recruit individuals from Germany’s Defense Ministry and the arms industry. It says she sought information for her Russian contact about German defense policy and the defense industry, particularly in relation to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The charges were filed last week with the state security division of Berlin’s Higher Regional Court. The source text does not state when a trial will begin or give details of any response from Ilona W. or her lawyers.
The Russian intelligence officer allegedly connected to the case was expelled from Germany shortly after her arrest, according to the source. Moscow responded by expelling a German diplomat, the report says.