German ex-reserve officer charged with spying for Russia

BERLIN (AA) – A former German military reserve officer has been charged with spying for Russia, authorities announced on Friday.

The suspect, identified as Ralph G., is accused of passing information about the German armed forces and its high-ranking officers to a Russian intelligence service, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

He also shared insights and analyses on economy, especially about the Western sanctions on Russia, and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, according to the prosecutors.

They said their investigation revealed that Ralph G. had been in contact with the Russian intelligence service between 2014 and 2020.

The accused will go on trial at the Higher Regional Court in Duesseldorf, northwestern Germany.