Germany expelled Andrei Mayorov, Russian deputy military attaché and GRU colonel, for espionage linked to a spy network involving dual citizen Ilona Kopylova-Wiener.

On January 22, 2026, Germany expelled Andrei Mayorov, Russia's deputy military attaché and GRU colonel, accusing him of espionage. Mayorov was identified as the handler of Ilona Kopylova-Wiener, a triple citizen of Russia, Ukraine, and Germany, who was arrested in Berlin. Wiener led a consulting firm and used her extensive network to meet German politicians and business leaders, including sharing information on a 2023 NATO conference held in Berlin. Investigators suspect she brought Mayorov undercover to some of these events. Wiener also cultivated ties with former German Air Force officers linked to a sensitive nuclear weapons base, potentially to recruit or gather intelligence. Though searches were conducted and phones seized, no detentions apart from Wiener have occurred. Mayorov's background includes serving as a paratrooper and work at the GRU's 162nd Center for Military-Technical Information. This incident highlights active Russian covert espionage efforts targeting Germany's political and defense sectors.