The officer, with ties to the far-right AfD party, said he provided information to a Russian intelligence service out of fear of a nuclear escalation in Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

A member of Germany’s Bundeswehr went on trial in the western city of Düsseldorf on Monday, charged with espionage activities on behalf of Russia and leaking state secrets.

At the start of the trial, the defendant admitted that he had spied for Russia. He said his actions were driven by a fear of a nuclear escalation amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The officer was arrested on August 9 last year and the charges against him were made public on March 19.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      717 months ago

      Every right wing party, in every western democracy, is either benefitting from Russian agitprop, if not taking Russian money directly.

      Every. Single. One.

    • Flying SquidM
      link
      English
      517 months ago

      From what I can tell from the outside, it looks like Russia has thoroughly infiltrated AfD from top to bottom.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        377 months ago

        Just like the Republicans here in the states. A curious correlation.

        Now if only our domestic counter-intelligence services would actually do something about that

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          57 months ago

          That would be great. Wouldn’t it? It’s nice to dream. I also had dreams when I was young.

      • @breadsmasher
        link
        English
        97 months ago

        Turns out entire party are spies, without realising, and spying on each other

    • @ABCDE
      link
      English
      257 months ago

      Die Alternative ist Russland.

      • @DaBPunkt
        link
        English
        47 months ago

        AfD=Außer für Deutschland

    • @Valmond
      link
      English
      97 months ago

      Like French LePen and their facho party.