German prosecutors charge two entrepreneurs of supplying drone components to Russia

The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany indicted two individuals over exporting to Russia components for unmanned aerial vehicles in circumvention of EU sanctions.

This is reported by Ukrinform with reference to the FPO.

"Charges of alleged violations of foreign trade law have been pressed against the citizens of Germany and the Russian Federation, Waldemar W. and Natalie S. The case has been forwarded to the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart," the statement reads.

The man is accused of violating sanctions, and the woman is accused of "aiding and abetting some of these violations."

It is noted that the said individuals sent to Russia components for the Orlan drones, which the Russian army uses in the war against Ukraine.

The prosecutor's office added that Waldemar W., the managing director of the two companies he founded in Saar, dealing with the international trade in electronic components, made 54 deliveries in the period from January 2020 to March 2023 in violation of the embargo on the export of dual-purpose goods to Russia of components to a Russian enterprise that manufactures military equipment. To circumvent EU sanctions, he first imported products from abroad to Germany, and then transported them to the territory of Russia through third countries, Kyrgyzstan and Hong Kong, with the help of a company based in Baden-Württemberg, managed by his accomplice.

According to the inquiry, the total cost of the components supplied to Russia amounted to EUR 875,000.

The businessman has been in custody since March 2023. The case has been transferred to the federal prosecutor's office, which decided on August 28 to extend custody remand.

Natalie S. has been in custody since March 9, 2023, but in late May, the warrant for her arrest was revoked. She is accused of participating in 14 illegal episodes. The Higher Land Court of Stuttgart is expected to pass a guilty verdict against her.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the United States slammed sanctions on a network of entities and individuals belonging to Intellexa, an international consortium, which sold spy programs, including to authoritarian regimes, to persecute opposition and journalists.