Two Foreigners Arrested Near Russian Space Launch Facility

French and German Nationals Accused of Spying

Pair Detained at Baikonur Cosmodrome After Attempting to Use Drones

Russian authorities have arrested two foreign nationals near the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the country's primary space launch facility. The men, a French national and a German national, were detained on Thursday after attempting to use drones near the facility.

The suspects were identified as Philippe Walter,63, a French national, and Markus Mueller,39, a German national. According to Russian officials, the pair were apprehended after they attempted to fly drones near the launch pad of the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which is scheduled to carry a crew of three astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday.

The suspects have been accused of spying and are currently in custody. Russian officials said that the pair were carrying equipment that could be used for espionage, including cameras, GPS devices, and communications equipment. The men are also suspected of taking photographs and videos of the cosmodrome and its facilities.

The arrests come amid heightened security at the Baikonur Cosmodrome as Russia prepares to launch its Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft. The launch is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 23, and will carry a crew of three astronauts to the ISS. The astronauts will spend six months on the ISS, conducting experiments and carrying out maintenance work.

The arrests of the two foreign nationals are likely to raise concerns about the security of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The facility is one of the most important space launch sites in the world, and it is used by Russia to launch satellites, spacecraft, and astronauts to the ISS.

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has not yet commented on the arrests. However, the agency is likely to investigate the incident and take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.