ROSTOV-ON-DON, August 28 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian military court on Friday sentenced an officer to six years in prison for high treason and espionage and stripped him of his rank.

According to the investigation, Lt. Col. Mikhail Khachidze, a deputy unit commander in the North Caucasus Military District, was recruited by Georgian military intelligence in October 2007 and had been passing them military secrets.

Khachidze was arrested in August 2008 during the conflict between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia.

A prosecutor for the North Caucasus Military District said the information that Khachidze had passed to Georgia hurt Russia's security interests.

Lt. Gen. Vladimir Milovanov added that one reason Khachidze had engaged in spying was a debt he had to pay.

"He passed sensitive information for just $2,000... He was always in debt," Milovanov said, adding that Khachidze had solicited money from Georgian intelligence services due to his "low moral stature."