German soldier charged with spying for Russia

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - A German soldier is charged with spying for Russia, the country’s top prosecutor announced on Tuesday.

The accused, who was deployed at a military base in the southwestern German city of Koblenz, is said to have provided information to a Russian secret service, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

From May 2023, the man is said to have repeatedly offered cooperation - on his own initiative - to the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian Embassy in Berlin.

“On one occasion he transmitted information that he had obtained in the course of his professional activities for the purpose of forwarding it to a Russian intelligence service,” the office said.

Officials from the Federal Criminal Police Office arrested the accused in Koblenz on Aug. 9. He has been in custody ever since. Authorities also searched the accused's apartment and workplace.

The accused was reportedly responsible for equipping the German army with materials and weapons as well as the development, testing and procurement of military technology.

This is not the first case of suspected espionage for Russia since the start of Russia's war on Ukraine on Feb.24, 2022.

In Berlin, a former employee of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency (BND) is being tried for allegedly having passed on secret information to a Russian intelligence service.

German security officials have stepped up efforts to combat espionage by Russian services.