August 2023: An arrest makes waves across Germany – Thomas H., a soldier in the Bundeswehr, is arrested. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has evidence that Thomas H. voluntarily offered the Russian embassy information relevant to the war.
Thomas H. is 54 years old (as of May 2024) and worked as a professional soldier at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw). The office is based in Koblenz and is responsible for equipping the Bundeswehr with material and weapons as well as the development, testing and procurement of military technology.
From May 2023 onwards, Thomas H. is said to have voluntarily and on his own initiative repeatedly offered information to the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian Embassy in Berlin. This information should then be passed on to a Russian intelligence service.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office found out about the plan and arrested Thomas H. on August 9, 2023 in Koblenz. Shortly afterwards, Thomas H.’s house in Argenthal (Rhineland-Palatinate) was opened for search, in which a unit with a sniffer dog was also involved.
In March 2024, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office brought charges against Thomas H. for alleged secret service agent activity. The verdict was reached at the end of May: Thomas H. confessed before the Higher Regional Court (OLG). He was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for spying for the Putin regime.
