Moscow, June 1 (IANS/RIA Novosti) A Russian army officer has been sentenced by a Moscow court to 12 years in prison for spying for the US, the Federal Security Service said.

Reserve Colonel Vladimir Lazar would also lose his rank.

During investigation, it was found that Lazar, serving in the military-technical department of the general headquarters of the high command, acted on the orders of US military spy Lesment, and acquired and passed on a significant quantity of topographic maps and images, containing information deemed to be of state secret nature, the security service said.

The prosecutor's office said Lazar had bought more than 7,000 electronic images of topographic maps from a Russian collector which he then took to Belarus and passed them to Lesment via an intermediary. Lesment then passed them to the Pentagon.

Lazar admitted his guilt. The maximum penalty for such offences is 20 years. The date of his sentence coming into effect was not disclosed.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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