A senior officer of the Hellenic Air Force has been arrested on espionage charges after allegedly collecting and transmitting classified military information, including NATO plans, to a foreign power. According to Greek authorities, the officer has reportedly admitted that the intelligence was sent to China.
The arrest took place on Thursday inside a military facility, following a months-long counterintelligence investigation. Officials say the officer, who served at a unit in the greater Athens area, systematically gathered sensitive information and transmitted it using specialized encrypted software in exchange for financial compensation.
The material allegedly included highly classified data related to the Hellenic Air Force, the broader Armed Forces, and NATO’s strategic and operational structures. Investigators believe the suspect had amassed a large volume of confidential documents and was also attempting to recruit other military personnel into the operation.
Sources familiar with the case identify the suspect as a 50-year-old wing commander stationed in the coastal area of Kavouri, near Athens. Due to his role, he had authorized access to critical NATO-related information, prompting the involvement of Greece’s National Intelligence Service and the country’s top military command.
Authorities say the officer’s activities had been under close surveillance for several months, with the arrest carried out after he gained access to even more sensitive material. During searches, investigators reportedly recovered classified documents covering Air Force operations, national defense matters, and NATO planning.
The detention was conducted in the presence of a public prosecutor and in coordination with multiple state agencies. In an official statement, the Hellenic National Defence General Staff said there were clear indications that the officer had collected and transmitted military secrets in violation of the Military Penal Code, actions that could have caused serious harm to Greece’s national interests and to NATO security.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to determine the full extent of the information breach and whether other individuals may have been involved in the recruitment or transmission of classified material.
