Russia arrests a German national accused of planning to sabotage energy facilities

MOSCOW — Russia's top domestic security agency on Wednesday reported arresting a German national it accused of planning to sabotage energy facilities on orders from a Ukrainian national.

The Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that it detained German national Nikolai Gayduk as he entered Russia's westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad from Poland and seized half a liter (one pint) of liquid explosives from his car.

It didn’t say whether Gayduk also had Russian citizenship or a visa to enter the country, or when exactly the arrest took place.

The FSB accused Gayduk, a resident of Hamburg born in 1967, of planning acts of sabotage on orders from a Ukrainian, Alexander Zhorov, who also lives in Hamburg.

The agency said Gayduk was involved in an explosion at a gas distribution station in Kaliningrad in March 2024, and that a criminal case was brought against him on charges of a terrorist attack and smuggling of explosives. A court ordered Gayduk to be placed in pre-trial detention pending an investigation and trial, Russian news agency Interfax reported. No other details were provided.

There was no immediate comment from German authorities.