{"id":328443,"date":"2025-08-08T17:38:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/328443\/"},"modified":"2025-08-08T17:38:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:38:20","slug":"swiss-colonel-alleged-to-have-handed-information-to-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/328443\/","title":{"rendered":"Swiss colonel alleged to have handed information to Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/654433757_highres.jpg\" width=\"1300\" height=\"905\" alt=\"osce logo\" loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"sync\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                The headquarters of the OSCE in Vienna, Austria.            <\/p>\n<p>            Keystone        <\/p>\n<p>            Listen to the article        <\/p>\n<p>            Listening the article        <\/p>\n<p>                Toggle language selector            <\/p>\n<ul class=\"read-aloud\/track-selector__options\">\n<li>\n<p>                            English (US)                        <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>                            English (British)                        <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>            Generated with artificial intelligence.        <\/p>\n<p>        A Swiss army colonel has been recalled from abroad after being accused of passing on information to Russia in summer 2024, according to Swiss public broadcaster, SRF.\n<\/p>\n<p>        This content was published on    <\/p>\n<p>        August 8, 2025 &#8211; 11:17\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/latest-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The man at the centre of the affair is a colonel who has worked for the defence ministry for over 20 years, most recently holding various important posts abroad. Until mid-2024, he worked at the Swiss representation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), based in Vienna.<\/p>\n<p>However, for more than six months now, the man has been back in Switzerland \u2013 involuntarily. Several people told SRF Investigativ that he was suspended after being suspected of having passed on information to Russia in summer 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Upon request, the defence ministry confirmed that it was \u201caware of allegations as to why the employee in question was recalled to Switzerland at the end of 2024\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Passing on a document<\/p>\n<p>Other voices in the man\u2019s professional environment are critical of the suspension, which they say is disproportionate and based on a single incident in which the colonel handed a document on to the Russian delegation in Vienna \u2013 a document which was in any case shared across the entire OSCE just a few hours later.<\/p>\n<p>Several people familiar with the case suspect Swiss authorities only reacted so harshly after coming under pressure from other states.<\/p>\n<p>\n    More<\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/508713297_highres.jpg\" width=\"1300\" height=\"867\" alt=\"from left, US President Gerald Ford, Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Prime Minister Andrei Gromyko, walk in front of the Soviet embassy in Helsinki during the CSCE 1975 conference.\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        50 years of the Helsinki Accords: Switzerland\u2019s role between the blocs\u00a0    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Jul 24, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                Switzerland played an important role in the adoption of the pan-European set of rules in the 1970s that gave rise to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/swiss-diplomacy\/50-years-of-the-helsinki-accords-switzerlands-role-between-the-blocs\/89716763\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: 50 years of the Helsinki Accords: Switzerland\u2019s role between the blocs\u00a0<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Secret service involvement<\/p>\n<p>However, SRF Investigativ\u2019s research shows that the case is not only being investigated by the defence ministry. It is also a matter for the intelligence services, whose two parliamentary supervisory authorities \u2013 the AB-ND and the GPDel \u2013 have been informed.<\/p>\n<p>Military criminal authorities \u2013 which come into play when, for example, military personnel are suspected of a criminal offence \u2013 are also looking into the affair. According to the defence ministry, the military justice authorities have initiated an investigation, with the presumption of innocence applying. The ministry is not providing any further details for reasons of privacy.<\/p>\n<p>Who exactly are military prosecutors investigating? Is it just a case  of disclosing a single document or are there other allegations? The scope of the affair remains unclear. In military criminal law, the scale can range from minor to serious offences such as divulging military secrets or espionage.<\/p>\n<p>The Swiss colonel himself told SRF he was not authorised to discuss official matters. Several people familiar with the case told SRF that he is currently fighting for his reinstatement.<\/p>\n<p>\n    More<\/p>\n<p>\n            Opinion        <\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/upload-temp-file-5062ca97-3d03-432e-899a-d380673d021c-89606761.png\" width=\"480\" height=\"480\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        What Switzerland can achieve with its 2026 OSCE chairmanship\u00a0    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Jul 24, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is a shadow of its former self. Switzerland, which will chair the organisation next year, must prepare for a range of very different scenarios.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/foreign-affairs\/what-switzerland-can-achieve-with-its-2026-osce-chairmanship\/89717199\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: What Switzerland can achieve with its 2026 OSCE chairmanship\u00a0<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Swiss OSCE chairmanship<\/p>\n<p>The OSCE post in Vienna is key for Switzerland, as the country is set to take over the chairmanship of the organisation in 2026. Dealing with Russia within the OSCE is likely to remain an important issue.<\/p>\n<p>In response to an enquiry, the foreign ministry meanwhile writes that Switzerland will \u201cbe in contact with all OSCE states next year, including Russia\u201d. Dialogue and cooperation with all participating states is the only way to find peaceful and sustainable solutions to wars, crises and conflicts, according to the ministry.<\/p>\n<p>The OSCE is the only regional security organisation which brings together East and West, i.e. Russia and the US. However, media reports in recent years have suggested that work within the organisation has been blocked and that Russia is exploiting it for sabotage and espionage.<\/p>\n<p>Translated from German by DeepL\/dos<\/p>\n<p>                How we work            <\/p>\n<p>We select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools to translate them into English. A journalist then reviews the translation for clarity and accuracy before publication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. The news stories we select have been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team from news agencies such as Bloomberg or Keystone.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any questions about how we work, write to us at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/foreign-affairs\/swiss-colonel-alleged-to-have-handed-on-information-to-russia\/mailto:english@swissinfo.ch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">english@swissinfo.ch<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>        Articles in this story    <\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/99891c9acc53cc656c0ea30e73341616f028d40d-89804338.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Federal government remains mum on tariff negotiations in the USA\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Swiss authorities keep shtum on US tariff strategy    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                For tactical reasons, the government is refraining to comment on how its negotiating team in Washington is proceeding.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/trade-policy\/swiss-authorities-keep-shtum-on-us-tariff-strategy\/89804618?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Swiss authorities keep shtum on US tariff strategy<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1684fb89e817d1be53a3eb76a1850de1502092d6-89804010.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Plastics: Switzerland wants &quot;a change of pace&quot; in the talks\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Swiss negotiator urges progress at Geneva plastics talks    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                Felix Wertli says a \u201cchange of pace\u201d is needed at UN talks on an international deal to combat plastic pollution.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/international-geneva\/plastique-la-suisse-veut-un-changement-de-rythme-des-discussions\/89804396?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Swiss negotiator urges progress at Geneva plastics talks<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ac6373510854a71eb0e80bc05ceb29189bb34650-89803415.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Heat warning for parts of western Switzerland and Ticino\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Heat warning issued in  western and southern Switzerland    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                With the coming days set to be hot, authorities have declared a danger level of 3 out of 5 for certain parts of the country.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/various\/heat-warning-for-parts-of-western-switzerland-and-ticino\/89804305?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Heat warning issued in  western and southern Switzerland<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/55186881cab1a75b746e2facb13d75b82d08b04e-89803301.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Pilatus no longer delivers aircraft to the USA due to tariffs\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Tariffs: aircraft maker Pilatus to pause exports to the US    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                The Swiss aircraft manufacturer is to temporarily stop supplying the US \u2013 39% levies are too damaging, it says.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/trade-policy\/pilatus-liefert-wegen-z%c3%b6llen-keine-flugzeuge-mehr-in-die-usa\/89803499?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Tariffs: aircraft maker Pilatus to pause exports to the US<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/584884900_highres.jpg\" width=\"1300\" height=\"867\" alt=\"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pictured in 2023.\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Switzerland concerned by fresh Israeli plans for Gaza    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                The foreign ministry has said it is \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d about Israel\u2019s plans to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/foreign-affairs\/switzerland-concerned-by-fresh-israeli-plans-for-gaza\/89803819?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Switzerland concerned by fresh Israeli plans for Gaza<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0af10c03d58b2838f8860c07847f58f2be06c8fa-89802983.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Blatten: satellite images of ground movements from 2016\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Satellite images detect signs of Blatten landslide in 2016    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                Warning signs of the landslide that wiped out the village in May were visible from space years before, the ESA has found.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/climate-adaptation\/satellite-images-detect-signs-of-blatten-landslide-in-2016\/89803516?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Satellite images detect signs of Blatten landslide in 2016<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/53f0c69e0a92627f504564f4b99fcdc798f8d227-89802591.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Nidwalden canton hardest hit by Trump's hammer, weighs Pilatus\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Nidwalden set to be hardest-hit Swiss canton by US tariffs    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                The central Swiss canton, home to the Pilatus aircraft manufacturer, sends 47% of its exports to the US.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/trade-policy\/nidwalden-set-to-be-hardest-hit-swiss-canton-by-us-tariffs\/89803358?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Nidwalden set to be hardest-hit Swiss canton by US tariffs<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/fb8b220931838243f214a9b4d3f576b9fb8b410d-89802010.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Record number of home office jobs - Switzerland defies counter-trend\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Switzerland defies trend with record level of working from home    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                More and more Swiss firms are offering the possibility to work remotely \u2013 in contrast to the international trend.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/workplace\/record-number-of-home-office-jobs-switzerland-defies-counter-trend\/89802197?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Switzerland defies trend with record level of working from home<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ffdd61bd155b78e11bcd9332da6376f776c162db-89802038.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"US tariffs now also apply to Swiss gold bars\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        US tariffs reportedly now also apply to Swiss gold bars    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                Another trade blow for Switzerland:  gold bars are now also subject to 39% US tariffs, the Financial Times reports.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/trade-policy\/us-tariffs-now-also-apply-to-swiss-gold-bars\/89802052?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: US tariffs reportedly now also apply to Swiss gold bars<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>    <img src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/931054ba033990223cfbddcafc5365e2dc2c7ab1-89799693.jpg\" width=\"1400\" height=\"1050\" alt=\"Crucified Trump sculpture will not be shown at Basel railway station\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"auto\"\/><\/p>\n<p>        More    <\/p>\n<p>        Trump sculpture at Basel station shelved for security reasons    <\/p>\n<p class=\"teaser-wide-card__excerpt\">\n<p>                        This content was published on                    <\/p>\n<p>                        Aug 8, 2025                    <\/p>\n<p>                The sculpture of a crucified version of US President Donald Trump is now on the hunt for another exhibition venue.            <\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"teaser-wide-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/various\/crucified-trump-sculpture-will-not-be-shown-at-basel-railway-station\/89801784?utm_source=multiple&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_campaign=news_en&amp;utm_content=o&amp;utm_term=wpblock_news\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<p>            Read more: Trump sculpture at Basel station shelved for security reasons<br \/>\n    <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The headquarters of the OSCE in Vienna, Austria. Keystone Listen to the article Listening the article Toggle language&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":328444,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7655],"tags":[3907,25481,2993,118260,1501,332,5900],"class_list":{"0":"post-328443","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-russia","8":"tag-article","9":"tag-beat-foreign-affairs","10":"tag-defence","11":"tag-espionage-and-intelligence","12":"tag-latest-news","13":"tag-russia","14":"tag-update-me"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114994368443303065","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/328444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}