In a large operation carried out overnight into April 21, the Czech police reportedly arrested at least five people suspected of being former militants with Russian-sponsored forces fighting against Ukraine in Donbas.
The hunt began days after the central European country accused Russian secret services of being involved in a deadly 2014 ammunition depot explosions and expelled 18 Russian diplomats it accused of spying for Russia. This triggered a furious reaction from the Kremlin, which ordered 20 Czech diplomats out and effectively dismantled the country’s mission to Moscow.
None of the arrested individuals have been charged yet, Czech media outlet Akualne.cz quoted the official as saying.
According to the Czech press, some of the arrested suspects could be in touch with expelled Russian diplomats, who may be operatives with Russia’s military intelligence agency or GRU.
But later on, the Czech police asserted on Twitter that the raid had nothing to do with the 2014 explosion case.
According to Martin Bily, an official with Prague’s Prosecutor General’s Office, the police’s organized crime department is pursuing criminal cases involving charges of terrorist activities, financing and facilitation of terrorism by Czech nationals who used to take part in hostilities in Donbas.
According to Ukrainian authorities, nearly 20 Czech nationals have fought alongside Russian-led forces, which makes them mercenaries under international law.
In late 2020, a court sentenced a high-ranking Donbas militant from the Czech Republic to 15 years in prison in absentia for mercenary activity.
