Russia court convicts Norwegian of spying on nuclear sub program

April 16 (UPI) -- A Moscow court convicted Norwegian Frode Berg of spying and sentenced him to 14 years in a maximum security prison Tuesday.

The court proceeding was held behind closed doors because the case has secret files. Only the verdict and sentence were public. Berg will not appeal but will instead seek a pardon.

Berg was arrested Dec. 5, 2017, in downtown Moscow with several thousand dollars in cash on him. He admitted that he has cooperated with Russian intelligence and acted as a courier while in Russia to collect information about nuclear submarines.

He claims he didn't know what he was doing and didn't realize the consequences. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies didn't comment on the case.

He's already served 17 months and that will be factored into his prison sentence.

Berg's lawyer, Norwegian Brynjulf Risnes, believes his client will return home to Kirkenes, Norway

"I do not believe that Russian authorizes have any interest in Berg sitting many years in a Russian prison," Risnes said. "I am pretty confident that there will be a resolution in quite short time."