BERLIN (AP) — A Russian man who supported his country's war in Ukraine has been charged with murder over the fatal stabbing in Germany earlier this year of two wounded Ukrainian soldiers who were recovering from operations there, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The 57-year-old suspect, whose name wasn't released in line with German privacy rules, was arrested shortly after the stabbing in the small Bavarian town of Murnau on April 27.
Prosecutors in Munich said the suspect and the two victims knew each other loosely from previous meetings. On the day of the stabbing, the three men were drinking together and argued about the situation in Ukraine, “as a result of which the accused felt that his national pride was hurt,” they said in a statement.
The suspect “decided to kill the two strongly intoxicated Ukrainians in a surprise attack,” prosecutors added, and fetched a knife from his nearby apartment. One of the Ukrainians was killed immediately and the other died later of his injuries.
Prosecutors said that “as a supporter of an exaggerated Russian nationalism, (the suspect) supports unreservedly the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.”
The two Ukrainians had been brought to Germany for treatment after being wounded in the war. They had undergone operations at a hospital in Murnau and were recovering in the town. Both were significantly “physically limited” as a result of the operations, prosecutors said.
Germany has become one of Ukraine's leading supporters in the war since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022 and is Kyiv's second-biggest weapons supplier after the United States.
A state court in Munich will now have to decide whether and when the case will go to trial.
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
FILE - Flowers and a small Ukrainian flag are laid at a shopping center in Murnau, Germany, Sunday, April 28, 2024, after a stabbing incident. (Constanze Wilz/dpa via AP, File)
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the Brisbane International final for the third year in a row with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchová on Saturday.
Sabalenka clinched the semifinal at Pat Rafter Arena on her fourth match point to advance to Sunday's final against Marta Kostyuk, who beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3. It was Kostyuk's third win in a row over a top-10 opponent.
The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.
Although three match points slipped away amid a late flurry of pressure from the Czech player, Sabalenka sealed victory when a Muchová shot sailed long.
“I always try to stay in the present,” Sabalenka said. “I worked really hard and each match against her is just another opportunity to get the win and I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win."
With 32 winners and all four break points saved, Sabalenka will look to carry that momentum into her 13th WTA 500-level final on Sunday.
In the men's tournament at Brisbane, Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-American semifinal. Nakashima will play top-seeded Daniil Medvedev after the Russian beat American Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-2.
The former No. 1-ranked Medvedev seeks his 22nd career title, while it will be Nakashima's first ATP Tour final in four years.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Brandon Nakashima, of the United States, right, shakes hands at the net after he beat Aleksandar Kovacevic, of the United States, left, in their semifinal match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Daniil Medvedev of Russia waves to the crowd after he won his semifinal match against Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4, 6-2, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aleksandar Kovacevic, of the United States, reacts after missing a shot during his semifinal match against his compatriot Brandon Nakashima at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Brandon Nakashima, of the United States, plays a shot during his semifinal match against his compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus waves at the crowd after she won her semifinal match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-5, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during her semifinal tennis match against Karolína Muchova of the Czech Republic at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Karolína Muchova of the Czech Republic plays a shot during her semifinal tennis match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, plays a shot during her semifinal match against Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, serves during her semifinal tennis match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, plays a shot during her semifinal match against Karolína Muchova, of the Czech Republic, at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)
