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Austria's Defense Ministry confirms officer suspected of passing information to Russia

Austrian prosecutors launched a criminal case against the retired colonel

© EPA-EFE/DOMINIK ANGERER

VIENNA, November 9. /TASS/. Austria’s Ministry of Defense Spokesman Michael Bauer stated on Friday that the country’s military counterintelligence with international assistance unveiled an alleged espionage case involving a retired Austrian officer, who was said to have passed documents to Russia since the 1990s.

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"The military counterintelligence service with international cooperation has disclosed a case of spying. A retired officer from the Austrian army has spied against the Austrian army and transferred documents to Russia since the 1990s. A case was launched against him," Bauer tweeted.

The Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported on Friday that an investigation against a 70-year-old retired colonel who has allegedly passed information about the migration crisis, Austrian military aircraft and artillery systems to Russian military intelligence services since the late 1990s.

According to the newspaper, the military officer from Salzburg received about 300,000 euros for his services. Austrian prosecutors launched a criminal case against the retired colonel under a statute about working for a foreign intelligence service. The suspect may face two years behind bars under this section.

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