The case of the alleged spy at the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is apparently more explosive than previously known. In the fall, the Russian secret service FSB tried to get hold of position data from artillery and air defense positions of the Ukrainian army through the now arrested BND employee Carsten L., the media reported on Friday. These were the American Himars multiple rocket launcher and the German Iris-T air defense system.
According to the investigation, the FSB instructed the BND agent through the intermediary Arthur E. to siphon and hand over the most accurate GPS data from both weapon systems to the BND, according to a report by “Spiegel”.
People familiar with the matter told the magazine it was unlikely that such data had been leaked.
Investigation on suspicion of treason
According to the report, the alleged order reflects the situation at the front. In the autumn, the Ukrainian army managed to gain spectacular ground – thanks in part to the rocket launchers. Attorney General Peter Frank is investigating L. and E. on suspicion of treason. Both are in custody. E. is said to have handed over secret BND material to the FSB at two meetings in Moscow, which L. had received from his employer.
Did the Russians pay the BND spy handsomely?
The Russian side may have paid handsomely for the alleged espionage, the “Spiegel” reported. Investigators found a six-figure amount of money in envelopes in Carsten L.’s locker. E. would have received these envelopes from the FSB and handed them over to L.. Representatives of the BND assumed that the FSB wanted to keep L. in the long term. According to “Spiegel,” L’s attorney Marvin Schroth declined to comment when asked, so the attorney left a request unanswered. The federal prosecutor’s office and the BND also refused to respond.
Arrested for spying for Russia in the British Embassy in Berlin
Meanwhile, a former security guard at the British embassy in Berlin has been sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison for spying for Russia. The 58-year-old passed on a “significant amount” of sensitive information to a contact at the Russian embassy for years, a court in London ruled on Friday. He should have been aware that in the wrong hands the information would harm Britain and threaten embassy staff.
dropped
The now-convicted spy had developed an “anti-British” attitude, the Old Bailey Criminal Court judge said in the verdict. In conversations with colleagues, he said he is more “sympathetic to Russia, especially to President Putin”. In exchange for the information, the man received large sums of money. The security services had lured him into a trap. German authorities arrested him in August 2021 and later extradited him to the UK.
“Trouble and Embarrassment”
The convict pleaded guilty to eight charges in court in November. He stated that he wanted to cause “difficulties and embarrassment” to the embassy. He acted purely out of spite towards his employer and received no money. However, the court did not believe that. The embassies of Russia and Great Britain are only a few hundred meters apart in Berlin
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
