An Italian Navy officer has been
arrested by Carabinieri police after allegedly being caught
while passing classified documents to a Russian military
official for money during a clandestine encounter, sources said
on Wednesday.
They are both accused of serious crimes regarding espionage and
State security.
The position of the Russian official, however, is still being
looked at in relation to his diplomatic status.
The Italian foreign ministry said Wednesday that, acting on
instructions from Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Foreign
Ministry Secretary General Elisabetta Belloni had summoned
Russian Ambassador Sergey Razov in relation to media reports of
the operation.
The serviceman, a frigate captain, and the Russian official, who
is accredited to the Russian embassy, were detained by the
Carabinieri's ROS unit late on Tuesday, the sources said.
In addition to the criminal investigation, military prosecutors
have also opened a probe into the case.
NATO documents were allegedly among the files the Navy officer
handed over, the sources said.
Photo: a file image of a Carabinieri car.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
