NATO removes Spanish naval commander over relationship with suspected Russian operative

Security breach investigation at Northwood

A senior Spanish naval commander deployed at NATO Allied Maritime Command in Northwood, Hertfordshire, lost his security clearance and assignment following an internal investigation into his relationship with a woman suspected of ties to Russian intelligence. The officer, a veteran with a 35-year military career, met 49-year-old Janina White on the dating application Tinder in October 2024. White, a dual British and Polish citizen born in the Soviet Union who moved to Poland as a child and later to the United Kingdom, moved into the officer's London residence in Romford two weeks after meeting, where the couple established a joint bank account. The Northwood headquarters is responsible for tracking Russian naval operations, including nuclear submarines, warships, and the shadow tanker fleet transporting sanctioned Russian oil through strategic European waters.

Access passes and Portuguese academy visit

Security concerns emerged after the officer arranged an escorted single-day visitor pass for White to attend a Christmas reception in the warrant officers and sergeants mess at Northwood on 12 December 2024. In the first half of 2025, NATO and Spanish military authorities initiated security inquiries, and Spain suspended the officer's national security clearance. Northwood base leadership revoked his installation access on 19 June 2025, escorting him off the premises the following day. Ten days after losing base clearance in the United Kingdom, the officer brought White to the NATO Communications and Information Academy in Oeiras, Portugal, where he attended a defence conference while she remained on the academy grounds.

“We walked onto the base, and while he had access to all those super-protected computers and data somewhere, I was sitting by the pool drinking coffee and tea, having fun. I never had access to any top-secret facilities.”

Interrogation by Russian intelligence in Saint Petersburg

Spanish authorities officially concluded the officer's deployment to MARCOM on 29 July 2025 and ordered his return to Spain. In August 2025, the officer and White attempted to re-enter the Northwood base alongside a third individual to retrieve personal belongings, prompting base security to deny entry and summon British police, though neither individual was detained or arrested. Security officials had also scrutinised White's visits to a shooting range in Basildon, Essex, though investigators found no evidence confirming she worked as a foreign intelligence operative. White denied passing any classified information and noted that strict household rules prevented discussions about military operations.

“I said no. At home we had a rule that he didn't talk about his work. I knew he was dealing with the Russian clandestine fleet and submarines. But it was totally forbidden to talk about any details regarding it at home.”

The case gained further scrutiny when White travelled to Saint Petersburg to visit her ailing father and was approached by an officer identified as Andrei from Russia's Federal Security Service. During a two-hour interview at a cafe near a metro station, the FSB officer questioned her about the Spanish commander's naval assignments, his family, and the NATO security proceedings. In response to inquiries regarding the case, MARCOM spokesperson Commander Tim Pietrack stated that Allied Maritime Command does not comment on personnel matters but remains committed to safeguarding classified information across the alliance.