The wife of an Italian Navy officer
accused of passing classified military documents to Russian
officials has said he was "desperate" because of the family's
economic situation.
She also said that any material he handed over would not have
compromised national security.
Italy on Wednesday expelled two Russian officials after frigate
captain Walter Biot was allegedly caught handing over documents
for 5,000 euros to an official late on Tuesday.
They were named Thursday as Alexey Nemudrov, Russian embassy
naval and aeronautical attaché, and Dmitri Ostroukhov, an
employee in the same office at the Rome embassy, who was the man
caught with Biot in a Rome car park Tuesday night.
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio described the espionage as a
"hostile act of extreme gravity" on Moscow's part.
"He had truly been in (a state of) crisis for some time because
he was afraid that he would not be able to face up to the all
spending we have," Biot's wife Claudia Carbonara told Thursday's
Corriere della Sera.
"We have been impoverished by COVID.
"My husband did not want to screw the country, if you will
excuse my language.
"And he did not this time either.
"I assure you that he gave the minimum he could give to the
Russians. Nothing compromising.
"He is not stupid or irresponsible.
"He was just desperate. Desperate about our future and that of
our children".
Carbonraa told Corriere that Biot's salary of 3,000 euros was
not enough to cover mortgage payments of 1,200 euros plus paying
for the four children's after-school activities - one of whom
has a serious handicap - as well as the family's four dogs.
Biot exercised his right to remain silent during questioning by
a preliminary investigations judge on Thursday.
Explaining his decision, he said "I'm stunned and disoriented
but ready to clear up my position".
Biot was remanded in custody Thursday.
The custodial warrant said so far 181 photos of classified
documents had been found on the memory stick Biot allegedly gave
Ostroukhov, including nine 'top secret' documents and 47 'NATO
Secret'.
The warrant said Biot was involved in the projection of Italian
defence assets into foreign operational theatres and also in
NATO, EU and UN operations.
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