A former agent of the "
Green Berets
", an elite unit of US special forces, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (November 18th) of espionage on behalf of Russia, the US Department of Justice reported.
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Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, is expected to hear his verdict on February 26, 2021 and faces life imprisonment.
"
Mr. Debbins admitted today that he had betrayed the confidence of this country by transmitting sensitive national security information to the Russians
," the Deputy Minister of Justice in charge of national security issues, John Demers, wrote in a statement.
According to American justice, Debbins, born in the United States of a Russian mother, was approached by Moscow in 1996, even before he joined the army.
"
In 1997, Mr. Debbins was given a code name by agents of the Russian intelligence services and signed a document certifying that he wished to serve Russia
", according to the Ministry of Justice.
Debbins was later encouraged by Russian intelligence to join the special forces where he obtained the rank of captain.
According to US justice, the former special forces officer was guilty of providing Russia with confidential information.
"
Mr. Debbins also provided Russian intelligence agents with the names of a number of his former special forces teammates, as well as information about them, so that the agents (Russians, Editor's note) can choose whether or not to approach these teammates to determine if they were ready to cooperate with Russian intelligence.
According to the indictment, the former "
Green Beret
" was stationed in Germany, then in Azerbaijan, with high-level security clearance.
His last contact with Russia mentioned in the indictment dates back to 2011.
