Two Ukrainian men living in Denmark, aged 18 and 21, have been charged with espionage after answering a Telegram post that offered a free television and microwave. The mother of the 18-year-old says the case is a terrible misunderstanding.
According to reporting by DR, the mother is in Latvia, almost 2,000 kilometers from Aalborg, where her son is being held. She told the broadcaster in written messages on Telegram that her son had traveled to Aalborg to visit a friend. She believes a terrible misunderstanding has taken place.
DR is not naming the woman, because a name ban applies in the case against her adult son. She said she had finally managed to speak with him by phone, and that he is safe but still detained. Her greatest wish, she said, is that he be released.
Free appliances, then photos of a defense company
DR reported on Wednesday that the two men responded to a Telegram post advertising a free Sony television and a microwave at an address in Aalborg. According to the charge sheet, they ended up spying for a Russian intelligence service by photographing the defense company MyDefence. The images were then forwarded on Telegram.
Both men deny the charges. As reported by DR on October 20, the men are accused of photographing MyDefence in Nørresundby on October 19, 2026, and of sending the pictures via Telegram. Prosecutors suspect a Russian intelligence service was involved, but have not said which one.
The charge is brought under section 108(1) of the Danish Criminal Code, according to the same DR report. B.T. has confirmed that both suspects are Ukrainian and describes MyDefence as a company working with drone defense technology.
Court must decide by Friday
At a custody hearing at the District Court in Aalborg on Tuesday evening, the court declined to order pre-trial detention. Instead, it allowed police to hold both men for three days, giving investigators more time to gather evidence. That means police must either release the two men or bring them before a judge again by Friday.
The hearing was held behind closed doors, so the public does not know what evidence exists. The 21-year-old’s defense lawyer, Rasmus Amandusson, said after the hearing that his client is deeply affected, because the charge is so serious. The mother of the 18-year-old told DR she hopes all evidence will be examined thoroughly.
Both the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, PET, and Justice Minister Nicolai Wammen have warned about advertisements and social media posts offering money or goods in return for small tasks. Such tasks can include taking photographs of defense companies or infrastructure. The warning is that people risk acting on Russia’s behalf without realizing it.
What the Aalborg espionage case means for foreign residents
The case shows how Danish criminal procedure works in practice for people without Danish citizenship. A grundlovsforhør is a court hearing that must take place within 24 hours of arrest, and it decides whether someone can be held further. A navneforbud, or name ban, is a court order that stops media from publishing a suspect’s identity, which is why DR has not named the 18-year-old or his mother.
For internationals, including Ukrainians living here under Denmark’s special law, the public warnings from PET and Wammen are the concrete point. Paid or unpaid requests circulating in Telegram groups to photograph defense sites can lead to espionage charges, even where the person says they expected household goods. What this case means for the two men’s residence status in Denmark is not publicly known, and the evidence remains sealed.
