In the first trial of a former German army soldier accused of spying for Russia, Thomas pleaded guilty to handing over sensitive information but claimed it was done to prevent further escalation in Ukraine. The 54-year-old, identified as Thomas under German privacy laws, worked in the IT and logistics department of the German army and admitted to passing information to the Russian consulate in Bonn.
Despite his confession, Thomas stated that his intentions were aimed at averting war. This trial is just one of several cases involving alleged spies discovered in Germany since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The prosecution alleges that Thomas approached both the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Moscow embassy in Berlin in May 2023, offering collaboration.
The defense attorney argued that Thomas was motivated by a desire to end the conflict and did not intend any harm. He also presented evidence showing that Thomas had been struggling financially at the time of his actions and had turned to espionage as a way out. However, this argument did not sway the judge who sentenced him to up to ten years imprisonment.