German military reservist charged with spying for Russia

Germany's federal prosecutor's office has charged a former military reservist on suspicion of spying for Russian intelligence.

The indictment named the man as Ralph G., in line with Germany's privacy laws, and said he had been in contact with Russian agents from October 2014 until March 2020.

"The accused is sufficiently suspected of having worked for a foreign intelligence service against the Federal Republic of Germany and against a NATO state party," it said. 

What we know about the accused

According to the indictment, Ralph G. served as a reserve officer in Germany's armed forces and had been deputy head of a district liaison command. The accused was also a member of a number of committees involved in Germany's economy owing to his civilian professional occupation.

The indictment said he had shared documents and information with Russian agents "on numerous occasions" over a number of years. He is accused of doing so in return for invitations to events organized by the Kremlin.

Prosecutors said the accused shared information about the reserve system of the Bundeswehr in relation to civil-military cooperation and "civil defense." Ralph G. is also accused of giving Russian intelligence agents the personal data and contact details of high-ranking Bundeswehr members. 

He is also accused of providing economic insights into the consequences of economic sanctions imposed on Russia in 2014. Documents he shared allegedly included ones related to the now shelved Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. 

Ralph G.'s trial is scheduled to take place at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court.

*Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and urges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.