U.S. European Command headquarters at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, was among the targets of a spy ring that British prosecutors say passed information to Russia over a three-year span. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)
STUTTGART, Germany — U.S. European Command headquarters was among the targets of a spy ring accused of passing information to Russia over a three-year span, according to British prosecutors trying three Bulgarian defendants.
EUCOM’s Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, where Ukrainian troops have spent time with U.S. forces, was surveilled along with various other sensitive locations around Europe, prosecutors said Thursday.
Katrin Ivanova, 33; Vanya Gaberova, 30; and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39, are also accused of carrying out espionage in England, Austria, Spain and Montenegro, British newspaper The Independent reported.
All three are based in the U.K. and deny the spying accusations. “They sought to gather information for the benefit of Russia ... about various targets, both people and physical locations, information of particular interest to the Russian state,” prosecutor Alison Morgan said in opening statements Thursday, according to the newspaper.
Morgan told jurors at London’s Old Bailey that a five-person team of Bulgarians directed by an Austrian agent for Russia had carried out six significant operations, including one to spy on Patch Barracks in late 2022, Reuters reported.
Charles Prichard, a spokesman for EUCOM, said Friday that the command is following developments in the case but directed questions about the proceedings to British authorities.
“As for the type of activities alleged in the case, for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures. We continue to remain vigilant and take appropriate actions — including training — to ensure the safety and security of our people,” Prichard said.
Prichard also refuted some media reports on the case that stated Ukrainian troops were actively training at Patch Barracks. Ukrainians weren’t training there or any other Stuttgart bases, he said.
The trial comes at a time of heightened concerns about Russian espionage and allegations of sabotage by Kremlin operatives across Europe.
The U.S. Army's Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany was surveilled by three Bulgarian members of a spy ring that passed information to Russia, according to British prosecutors. (Stuttgart Army garrison)
Last week, U.S. authorities said American defense industry sites in Europe should step up security over elevated concerns that Russian saboteurs could target them. Meanwhile, unidentified drones have been spotted flying around military bases in England where thousands of American military personnel are based. Over the past week, several intrusions by small drones have occurred in the vicinity of and over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Feltwell and RAF Fairford.
An investigation is underway to determine who is responsible for the drone intrusions. So far, U.S. military operations and families at the bases haven’t been affected, officials have said. Citing operational security, EUCOM declined to say this week whether similar drone intrusions have happened at other bases in Europe where U.S. troops work.
Prichard, in an earlier statement Wednesday, said that the command is prepared to “defend U.S. interests if an incident is deemed a threat.”
While EUCOM didn’t comment on what steps it could take to disable an intruding spy drone, the military has made counter-drone operations a focal point in recent years given the expanding role of unmanned aircraft.
In January, German authorities complained about similar activity at bases where their soldiers were working with Ukrainian troops. A German base 60 miles west of Berlin was a particularly favorite target, with drone incursions happening on a weekly basis. The U.S. military also has been heavily involved in training Ukrainian troops at its bases in Germany, with Grafenwoehr being a main hub for conducting infantry and tank maneuvers.
Meanwhile, EUCOM headquarters in Stuttgart and U.S. Army Europe and Africa headquarters in Wiesbaden have served as gathering points for higher-level military planning related to support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
