Ex-Bundeswehr officer confesses to spying for Russia
Former Bundeswehr captain tells court he passed military information to Russia out of fear of escalating war in Ukraine
A former German military officer accused of spying for Russia appeared in court on Monday and pleaded guilty, saying he wanted to avoid an escalation of the war in Ukraine.
"It was wrong. I agree with that," said defendant Thomas X, who is accused of intending to pass classified information to Russian intelligence.
Thomas X (his full name is withheld in accordance with German privacy laws) was arrested in August last year.
According to the prosecutor's office, since May 2023, Thomas H., on his own initiative, contacted the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Bonn and the Russian Embassy in Berlin and offered them cooperation, and then gave out official information for further transmission to one of the Russian special services. The investigation has no information that he received money for this.
Details of what information he may have passed on have not been disclosed. It was reported that Thomas H. is a Bundeswehr officer with the rank of Hauptmann (equivalent to the rank of captain in the Russian army) and was known for his sympathy for the Alternative for Germany party and its policy towards Russia.
Thomas H. served in the department responsible for purchasing weapons for the Bundeswehr. The department in which the accused worked annually concludes defence contracts worth billions of euros, purchasing the necessary equipment for the German armed forces.
Background. On 18 April, two men suspected of espionage were arrested in Germany. According to the authorities, they intended to organise attacks on US military bases in Germany, where Ukrainian soldiers are trained.
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