Debbins first went to Russia at 19 and visited repeatedly over the next several years, according to the indictment. The following year, Debbins joined the U.S. Army and served until 2005, including in the Special Forces. He continued meeting with Russian intelligence, according to prosecutors, allegedly taking the code name “Ikar Lesnikov” and signing a statement of allegiance. The Russian agents requested Army field manuals but Debbins deemed it too risky to provide them, according to the indictment. He was at one point given $1,000 by the Russian agents, prosecutors allege, a sum he initially declined, along with a bottle of cognac and a Russian military uniform.

Source: Washington Post August 21, 2020 20:37 UTC