German authorities arrested an officer of the military procurement agency on suspicion that he was passing sensitive information to Russia, the Bild newspaper reported on Aug. 9, citing the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office.
According to the report, Thomas H. had been in contact with the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian Embassy in Berlin since 2023 on his own initiative.
The suspect was employed by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support, responsible for developing and procuring defense technology.
"The Federal Public Prosecutor today arrested a German officer who is strongly suspected of having worked for a foreign secret service," German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann wrote on Twitter.
"Thank you to everyone who was involved. Vigilance remains the order of the day."
According to Bild, the authorities issued an arrest warrant against Thomas H. on July 27, after which he was brought before the investigating judge on Aug. 9. The suspected spy currently remains in custody and if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison.
On Dec. 22, the German authorities arrested an employee of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) for spying for Russia.
Martin Fornusek
