Ukraine war briefing: Would-be parcel bomber convicted in German court

Russian-led plot was exposed when participants sent trial packages carrying GPS trackers through Ukrainian and German post. What we know on day 1,638 A German court has convicted a Ukrainian man over a plot to send parcel bombs in Europe at the behest of Russian ⁠intelligence. Three Ukrainians were involved in sending two packages with GPS trackers and spare auto parts from Germany to Ukraine in an operation initiated by a Russian state entity, ⁠the court in Stuttgart said. The shipments were designed to identify opportunities for future sabotage. A 30-year-old was sentenced to one ⁠year and three months in prison for acting as an agent for the purposes of sabotage, but has already served his time in pre-trial custody. The two other defendants were acquitted ‌due to a lack of evidence that ‌they were knowingly involved in a plot to commit attacks. The three have been referred to as Vladyslav T, Daniil B and Yevhen B, with their full names withheld under German privacy rules. The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. European ‌governments have accused Moscow of a “hybrid war” against countries supporting Ukraine’s defence. In 2024, parcels shipped fro