Two Belarusian men held in Germany over a planned arson near Nuremberg, allegedly on behalf of a foreign state

On 28 October 2026 the Munich general prosecutor's office said two Belarusian nationals, aged 39 and 50, had been in custody since 7 October on suspicion of planning to set fire to a building or a critical infrastructure facility in the Nuremberg area. Prosecutors said the men acted on behalf of a foreign government or organisation and for payment, without naming the country. Romanian prosecutors are investigating the same two men over the arson next to a state arms plant in Brașov on 14 September and are seeking their extradition.

Established by. Munich general prosecutor's office, 28 Oct 2026: the suspects acted on behalf of a foreign government or organisation and for payment (as reported by Reuters). Der Spiegel reported that they were working for Russia; prosecutors did not name the country. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of sabotage.

Latest. Both men are in custody in Germany; no charges had been announced as of 28 October 2026. Romania is seeking their extradition in the Brașov case. The presumption of innocence applies.

Link to the war against Ukraine. The same men are suspected in Romania of sabotage against the state arms industry, which Romania's intelligence service attributes to a network coordinated from Russia.