Greek colonel in Chinese spy network - NATO plans targeted, four others arrested in France

Yesterday, Wednesday, February 4, the Paris Prosecutor's Office announced that 4 people were arrested in Gironde, southwestern France, including two Chinese nationals, for espionage for China.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the Chinese nationals had entered French territory with the aim of collecting satellite data from the Starlink network and data from "vital entities, particularly military ones", in order to transmit them to their country of origin, China.

Greek authorities are looking for the connection of the 54-year-old colonel with the network of those arrested in France. The arrested man, who confessed to his actions, was transferred to the Air Court where he is being questioned by officers of the Armed Forces and the EYP about his connections and whether he had an accomplice. According to information, he had recruited at least one other person. At the same time, he is also being investigated for other recent similar incidents.

The 54-year-old senior officer of the Air Force served as commander of a unit in Kavouri and from July 2025 was seconded to another unit, where he had access to communications and electronic means.

Information indicates that he was intercepting classified information through a device with special software that had been supplied to him by the Chinese. Through it, he photographed classified documents and sent them electronically to his agents. The officer in question allegedly "left traces" through the QR code he was using, which made it possible to trace his activity through which he transferred critical and extremely sensitive information to Beijing.

NATO plans in the spotlight

The case is considered particularly serious as the arrested person served in a critical position in a NATO intelligence sector, which is why the case also concerns the US for leaking NATO plans, while he had access to secret data on technology development, national security and defense. In fact, according to military sources, the officer's arrest was decided shortly before he sent information regarding Greece's high technology to China.

How he was located

He was located a few months ago. Greece was notified by a secret service of another foreign country. As soon as the EYP received the signal about his activity, it placed the colonel under surveillance with the assistance of the ELAS. The decision to intervene and arrest him today by the military authorities was made as there was an assessment that the information he was channeling concerned increasingly more "sensitive" issues.

The acts are considered punishable according to the military code and, as reported by competent sources, all the prescribed procedures will be followed.

According to information, the investigation of the case began when the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, returned from his official visit to the USA.

The announcement of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff

"On Thursday, February 5, 2026, in the morning hours, the competent military authorities proceeded to arrest an officer of the Armed Forces. The arrest in question took place within a military area, in cooperation and coordination with other state services (in the presence of an authorized prosecutor's office), following clear indications of the commission of criminal acts according to the Military Criminal Code, namely the collection and transmission of secret information of military importance to third parties, with the risk of causing harm to national interests."