Two Russians, two Ukrainians arrested after suspected spying raid on Albanian arms factory | Albania

Two Russians and a Ukrainian have been arrested after an apparently failed spy raid on a military base and weapons factory in the city center. AlbaniaAlbanian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry said in a statement that one of the suspects attacked the guards with immobilizing spray while trying to take pictures of the Gramsch factory, which is used to dismantle abandoned weapons.

The ministry added that two of its soldiers were injured while trying to stop the raid, but the three foreigners were arrested.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the three people were “suspected of espionage”.

“Three citizens holding Russian and Ukrainian passports tried to enter the factory,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Officers who were guarding the factory responded immediately, but during their efforts to stop the three foreign nationals, two of our soldiers were injured,” the statement said, adding that the soldiers’ conditions are stable.

“In an attempt to escape control, a Russian citizen, identified by the initials MZ, 24 [years old]And nerve-analyzing sprays were used on the two security guards “after he was confronted by the guards, the ministry added.

Two others, a Russian woman identified as ST, aged 33, and a Ukrainian man, identified as FA, aged 25, were arrested in the vicinity.

“What a pride the military guards have neutralized three people suspected of espionage.” Rama wrote on Twitter“Let us now await the full clarification of this event,” he added.

During the summer holidays, Albania is visited by many Russian and Ukrainian tourists. Grammar military base is more than 70 kilometers from the beaches.

During communism, the Albanian Gramsch factory was used to produce the Russian AK-47 type rifle.

According to the ministry’s website, the factory today provides manufacturing services to the defense industry, without going into further details.

Albania is a member of NATO since 2009.