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MOSCOW (Reuters) –
A Russian court on Friday jailed a Serbian national for eight years for attempting to pass secrets about Russian missile and other defense projects to a Pentagon intermediary, Interfax news agency reported on Friday.

Aleksandar Georgijevic took his orders from a U.S. citizen who worked for a firm acting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense, Interfax reported.

In 1998, Georgijevic attempted to collect information on a number of Russian military projects, including the Iskander tactical missiles and the R-500, a supersonic cruise missile.

But only information on the "Arena" tank protection system was passed on to the U.S. agent, Interfax reported.

The Interfax report did not explain how a Serb was in a position to gather this intelligence information. When Reuters sought clarification from Interfax, the author said he did not have any further information to add.

"During the preliminary investigation, Georgijevic admitted his guilt, in particular confirming the factual circumstances of the collection, storage and passing on of information," Interfax quoted the FSB press service as saying.

The FSB intelligence agency declined comment when contacted by Reuters.

Georgijevic had been motivated by money and had knowingly passed on information through an acquaintance to the U.S. national, Interfax reported.

Georgijevic was only arrested in November 2007 as he tried to leave the country through a Moscow airport, when his name was already on a wanted list.

In a separate case on Friday, a Russian court sentenced an army sergeant to nine years in jail for passing on information to Georgia during the time of its war with Russia.

(Reporting by Conor Sweeney)