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Russian cyclist found at military facility in Germany
A Russian cyclist bypassed barriers and warning signs before entering a military facility where German soldiers were training. Police have not ruled out the possibility that he was trying to commit espionage, but have not arrested the man.
Business Insider Deutschland wrote that a Russian citizen was detained on the territory of the Army Combat Training Center in the German city of Gardelegen while riding a bicycle.
The military facility covers an area of 23,000 hectares. The area is not fenced, but there are barriers and warning signs around it. The cyclist told police that he had entered the area by accident and was released. Military police warned that the possibility that he was a spy could not be ruled out.
"We confirm the incident that occurred on the premises of the Army Combat Training Center on October 10, 2024. This incident showed that the security measures at the combat training center are working properly," the Bundeswehr told the publication.
The Gardelegen Army Combat Training Center is located in Saxony-Anhalt and is the most modern training center of the armed forces in Europe. The center's infrastructure allows for the movement of soldiers to be tracked in real time using computers. The center's special feature is the training ground and the model city of Schneggersburg for practicing combat operations. There are more than 550 buildings, rivers, sewage systems and other objects located here.
Business Insider Deutschland wrote that the base is used to practice responses in the event of a war with Russia.
In the spring, Bundeswehr employee Thomas H. was charged in Germany with working for Russian intelligence and disclosing state secrets. He worked in the Bundeswehr's Office of Armaments, Information Technology and Applications, where he was responsible, among other things, for purchasing electronic warfare systems. According to Germany's Attorney General, he approached the Russian embassies in Bonn and Berlin several times with proposals for cooperation and at some point passed on information he had received during his service to Russian intelligence.
Russian authorities have rejected plans for war with NATO. President Vladimir Putin describes these fears as follows: "It's nonsense <...> It's a bogeyman for thieves."