Germany Arrests Five Over Illegal Exports to Russia

German authorities have detained five men accused of illegally exporting goods to Russian defence companies in violation of European Union sanctions imposed after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, prosecutors said.

The suspects, including German, Russian and Ukrainian nationals, were arrested in raids in Lübeck and the Lauenburg district.

Prosecutors allege they used a Lübeck trading company and shell firms to disguise roughly 16,000 shipments worth at least €30 million to more than 20 Russian arms firms, possibly with backing from Russian state agencies.

Searches were carried out in Frankfurt and Nuremberg as part of the investigation, and five other suspects remain at large.