A 54-year-old Bundeswehr captain confessed in Düsseldorf to offering military information to Russia. The message from an AfD-affiliated influencer “probably on TikTok” made him do this.
A 54-year-old Bundeswehr soldier has been in custody since August. The captain most recently worked at the Bundeswehr procurement office in Koblenz. The accusation: Particularly serious espionage for Russia’s benefit. On Monday he confessed at the Higher Regional Court in Dusseldorf filed.
Apparently Official secrets betrayed
When reading out the indictment, a representative of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said that the 54-year-old was responsible for electronic warfare systems as a captain in the Bundeswehr. A year ago he is said to have contacted the Russian Embassy in Berlin and the Consulate General in Bonn several times to offer his cooperation.
He also once revealed official secrets that were supposed to go to the Russian intelligence service. The soldier is said to have offered the information on his own initiative.
Fear of nuclear escalation
His goal was “to give the Russian armed forces an advantage against the background of the current political situation.” The professional soldier testified in court that he was motivated by fear of a nuclear escalation in the war in Ukraine. That’s why he wanted to get his family to safety in time. He assumed that tactical nuclear weapons would soon be used. He sought contact with the Russian side to get timely information about “when it will explode.” “I only saw this path,” said the soldier in court.
He now regrets this very much and, looking back, sees it as a mistake. He was in a very poor mental state at the time. “I was at my worst,” the defendant continued. He lost 18 kilograms, barely slept and was plagued by anxiety.
The presiding judge emphasized that the motivation mentioned was very difficult for him to understand. It was apparently easier for the defendant to betray his country than to go to the doctor. Looking back, the 54-year-old said that it was incomprehensible to him.
Addressed to Russia through video on Tiktok
A message “probably on Tiktok” gave him the impulse to contact the Russian consulate. The captain admitted that he had followed a pro-Russian, AfD-affiliated influencer on Tiktok at the time. He didn’t remember exactly what message that was.
The defendant was a member of the AfD
Around the same time, he contacted the AfD and applied for membership. According to the court, his application for membership was approved in July 2023. According to his own statements, the 54-year-old had also contacted the Left party. However, he was repelled by their fundamental rejection of the Bundeswehr.
The Bundeswehr soldier only had doubts about his actions at the end of July 2023, when he was feeling better mentally. He has now given his partner power of attorney to leave the party. But he doesn’t know whether this has already been implemented.
The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court has scheduled seven days of trial for the trial until June 24, 2024. If convicted, the defendant must expect up to ten years in prison.
WDR will also report on this topic on April 29, 2024 on WDR television in the Rhein Und Ruhr local time.
Our sources:
- dpa news agency
- WDR reporter on site