'The result of drinking problems and depression': an American officer wanted to transfer US military secrets to Russia

Petty officer (foreman 2 class) of the US Navy Stephen Kellogg admitted violating the provisions of the law "On spying" and was sentenced by the court to three years in prison, writes Voice of America.

Фото: Depositphotos

According to the Investigation Department (SS) of the US Navy, Kellogg admitted that he had at his disposal secret information about warships with nuclear power plants, which he planned to give to a journalist and then flee to Russia.

Kellogg wanted to publish secret materials about the work of the Navy and admitted in plans to transfer such information to the Russian side. Jeff Houston of the US Navy's SU confirmed this in a letter to the Associated Press.

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According to the materials of the naval court, 26-year-old Kellogg tried to establish contacts with Sevmash, the largest Russian shipbuilding enterprise and manufacturer of nuclear submarines. He acknowledged that the transfer of classified information could harm American manufacturers of nuclear warships, and thus harm US interests as a whole.

The authorities found out about his plans by chance due to the incident that occurred on 27 last August at San Diego Airport. Kellogg, who was drunk, was trying to fly to New York on a Delta Air Lines flight. Employees of the airline did not let him on board because of aggressive behavior, according to court records.

It later turned out that Kellogg had bought a one-way ticket. In New York, he was going to meet with his former classmate, who worked as a journalist, and tell him a "loud story." Kellogg knew that if this information became publicly available, then potential adversaries of the United States would be able to obtain data on the characteristics of American warships with nuclear power plants (NPIs).

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Kellogg began service in 2014. He was one of the electricians who serviced the ship's nuclear power plant and had access to classified information. Kellogg served on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson from 2016 to 2018 and had a photographic memory. Kellogg told his roommate about plans to escape to Russia, searched the Internet for information about flights to Moscow and contact information for one of the Russian consulates. He sent an email to the corporate address of the Sevmash company and called the company six times. The Associated Press has no information about whether the American received a response from Sevmash.

At about the same time, Kellogg told a friend that he would like to leave the Navy and “become Ed Snowden”, referring to a former employee of the US National Security Agency who escaped to Russia.

Although Kellogg pleaded guilty to violating several provisions of the Law on Spying, his lawyers said before sentencing that he was not a spy, and his behavior was the result of problems with drinking and deep depression. People who know Kellogg personally describe him as a harmless person who tried to attract attention. Lawyers also pointed out that before flying to New York, Kellogg left his passport in his apartment in San Diego, which contradicts the version of his plans to flee to Russia after leaking classified information to the press.

Kellogg also admitted that he photographed objects with secret information about the Navy’s nuclear program on his ship, and then sent photographs to his father and ex-girlfriend. He informed the authorities that he kept secret materials in his cabin, which is a violation of the regulations. The court lowered him in rank and dismissed him from military service for misconduct with deprivation of rights and privileges.

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