A German armed forces officer was arrested earlier today Wednesday for spying for Russia, announced the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

Thomas H. worked in the procurement office of the Bundeswehr’s Federal Service for Equipment, Information Technology and Use, responsible for equipping the German forces, and is believed to have contacted him repeatedly as early as May with the Russian Embassy in Berlin and with the Russian Consulate General in Bonn – “on his own initiative” – ​​and offered his cooperation. In this way it is estimated that he handed over to the Russian side information to which he had access due to his position in the German armed forces. The ultimate goal was to pass on the information to the Russian intelligence services.

The investigations were carried out in close cooperation with the Federal Military Counterintelligence Service and the Federal Service for the Protection of the Constitution, and an arrest warrant was issued for the officer on July 27. On August 9, Thomas H. was brought before the investigator and is now in custody. The charges he faces carry up to 10 years in prison.