If they go to trial and are found guilty, they face up to 10 years in prison. They deny all the charges and ask to be released, as their lawyers said.
An Albanian court on Wednesday ordered the detention of two Russians and a Ukrainian suspected of espionage who were arrested on Saturday when they tried to force their way into an arms factory, injuring two soldiers.
“The opinion of the court is that they should remain at the disposal of justice until the investigation is completed,” Elbasan court president Patime Fetahu said after the closed-door hearing. The three defendants allegedly attempted to gain access to “military or other information” in order to hand it over to a “foreign power,” the judge added.
If they go to trial and are found guilty, they face up to 10 years in prison. They deny all the charges and ask to be released, as their lawyers said.
According to Defense Minister Nikos Pelesi, one of the suspects attacked the guards who surprised him while he was taking pictures at Grams’ factory, where unused weapons are dismantled. The minister said, visiting the two wounded soldiers in hospital, that “trying to get out of control, one of the Russians, M.Z., 24 years old, used a nerve agent spray against the guards”.
The soldiers were injured in the eyes.
The 24-year-old was arrested together with another Russian, S.T., aged 33, and 25-year-old Ukrainian F.A., who were waiting for him in a car near the factory.
Military police, counter-terrorism and intelligence were mobilized to investigate the incident.
Albania has been a member of NATO since 2009.
RES-EMP
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