A former officer of the German Bundeswehr has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for espionage activities conducted on behalf of Russia, as reported by Der Spiegel.
The Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf delivered the verdict on Monday, finding the 54-year-old man guilty of secret service agent activity and breach of official secrecy.
The officer, who worked in the Bundeswehr procurement office in Koblenz, had accessed the information as part of his duties. He then voluntarily passed this information to Russian intelligence agencies.
During the trial, the defendant largely admitted to the charges against him.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office had called for a prison sentence of three and a half years, citing the serious nature of his activities and the violation of official secrets. The Higher Regional Court concurred with this recommendation, leading to the sentencing.
