Spanish Navy Officer Suspended from Duty Due to Relationship with a Russian-Born Woman

A senior officer in the Spanish Navy was suspended from duty after security services suspected his Russian partner of having possible ties to Russian intelligence agencies.

This was reported by The Telegraph.

The officer was a senior Spanish Navy officer serving with NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) at the British base in Northwood.

The officer was in a relationship with 49-year-old Janina White—a citizen of the United Kingdom and Poland, born in the Soviet Union, and currently residing in East London.

According to the publication, Spanish and NATO security services took notice of White and suspected her of potentially working on behalf of Russia. As a result, the officer was temporarily suspended from duty. Later, Northwood base personnel revoked his access pass, and the base commander barred him from base grounds while intelligence agencies conducted their investigation.

In 2025, MARCOM raised “security concerns” regarding the officer’s relationship with White. On July 29, 2025, the Spanish side terminated the officer’s service at MARCOM.

On August 26, 2025, the Spanish officer, Janina White, and another individual attempted to enter Northwood Base, even though the officer’s military pass had already been revoked. According to court records, the officer claimed he had lost his pass and requested visitor passes for White and the third individual. The documents note that this statement was false. They were denied access and ordered to leave the area near the base. White initially refused, after which security called the police.

The situation raised particular concern because of the nature of MARCOM’s work. The command at Northwood, in particular, monitors the activities of Russian submarines and warships near British waters, as well as tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” that are used to circumvent sanctions.

At the same time, no evidence has been made public to suggest that Janina White worked for Russian intelligence services. She was not detained, and no investigation has publicly established that she is a foreign agent.

White told The Telegraph that during a recent trip to St. Petersburg, a representative of Russia’s Federal Security Service questioned her about the investigation in the United Kingdom and her relationship with a NATO officer.

She has filed complaints and is seeking a judicial review of the decision by which British military authorities designated her as an “adverse security risk.” She has also filed a discrimination lawsuit against the British Ministry of Defense. The British Ministry of Defense declined to comment on the situation due to ongoing legal proceedings.

On July 10, a Spanish national court revoked a Navy sergeant’s clearance to access classified information due to his marriage to a Russian citizen and his pro-Russian views.