German spy suspected of leaking Ukraine war secrets to Moscow

Berlin: Germany’s spy agency fears that Moscow was able to turn one of its agents in the months after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, it has emerged.

The agent, who worked for Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the BND, is believed to have had access to secret information about the Ukraine war from Britain’s GCHQ spy agency and the US’s National Security Agency.

The secret service’s lettering is on one of the entrances to the headquarters of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) in Berlin, Germany. Credit:AP

The alleged double agent, identified only as Carsten L in accordance with Germany privacy regulations, was arrested on suspicion of treason in Berlin last Wednesday, and remanded in custody after appearing before a judge.

Security sources are now investigating the possibility that the agent was blackmailed into betraying Germany, the German news programme Tageschau reported. If confirmed, the recruiting of an agent in the aftermath of the invasion in February would represent a coup for Russia and a blow to Western intelligence.