Germany expels Russian embassy staffer for espionage amid related spy arrest

Following the arrest of a suspected Russian spy in Berlin, Germany expelled a Russian embassy staffer accused of being a Russian intelligence officer and handler for the spy. The woman, a German-Ukrainian, is in pretrial detention accused of providing sensitive intelligence about German armaments sites and drone deliveries to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul condemned the espionage as hostile and unacceptable, especially under diplomatic cover, signaling firm German action against Russian aggression. The expelled diplomat was declared persona non grata and the Russian ambassador summoned, denoting sharp diplomatic displeasure. This event highlights ongoing covert hostile Russian intelligence operations targeting Germany amid the Ukraine war.