Germany charges Russian academic for espionage

BERLIN (AA) – German prosecutors filed charges against a Russian academic for spying for Russia, authorities announced on Thursday.

The suspect, identified as Ilnur N., is accused of passing information about aerospace projects to Russia’s foreign intelligence service SVR, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

The prosecutors said the accused regularly met with a Russian spy in late 2019, and passed on information he obtained while working as a research associate at a Bavarian university.

The Russian intelligence was particularly interested in the European project of Ariane space launch vehicle, according to the prosecutors.

The suspect was believed to have received around €2,500 ($2,800) in cash for the information he provided.

Ilnur N. was arrested in June 2021 and he remains in custody.