Political motive not ruled out in deaths of two Ukrainians in Germany

DPA
·2 min read
Traces of blood and police markings pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa
Traces of blood and police markings pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa

German investigators have not abandoned the possibility of a political motive in the killing of two Ukrainian soldiers in Bavaria at the weekend, allegedly at the hands of a Russian citizen who is in police custody.

"The motive for the crime is currently still unclear, although a political motivation cannot be ruled out and is being investigated in all directions," the public prosecutor general's office in Munich said on Monday after it took over the case.

The two men, aged 23 and 36, were stabbed on the premises of a shopping centre in the town of Murnau on Saturday evening. Shortly afterwards, police arrested a 57-year-old Russian.

Police said in the immediate aftermath there were no indications that the crime is connected to the Russian war against Ukraine.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians live in Germany.

The two Ukrainians had been in Germany for medical rehabilitation after sustaining injuries during the war, Ukrainian media reported.

According to the investigations so far, it appears that the three men knew each other.

"We have clear evidence that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol," said police spokesman Stefan Sonntag earlier on Monday.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Sunday: "There are witness statements that the three people involved had been seen together before. There are indications that a lot of alcohol was involved with all those involved. This all needs to be clarified."

"At the moment, we have no compelling evidence that this is a reflection of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," he said.

At the scene of the crime at a shopping centre on Monday there were flowers and banners that read: "No war! No murders! No death!"

Next to them were pictures of the two people killed, the Ukrainian flag and candles.

Police markings and a first aid glove pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa
Police markings and a first aid glove pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa