Trial of Russian charged with space tech espionage begins in Germany

FILE PHOTO: A tank of Ariane 6, Europe's next-generation space rocket, is pictured in a production line of Ariane Group in Bremen, Germany, February 19, 2019. Picture taken February 19,2019. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo

MUNICH (Reuters) - The trial of a Russian researcher charged with spying on Europe's Ariane space launcher project for Russia began in a court in Munich on Thursday.

Germany arrested the suspect, identified only as Ilnur N., last year and later charged him with espionage for allegedly passing information on Europe's Ariane space launcher vehicle to handlers from Russian intelligence.