Spanish NATO officer suspended from duty for dating Russian-born woman

A MILITARY OFFICER FROM Spain—a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member—has been suspended from duty following an investigation into his relationship with a woman born in the former Soviet Union, amid fears she may have been spying for Moscow.

The unidentified Spanish naval commander, a married father of two, served at the Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) at Northwood Headquarters in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. MARCOM duties include the monitoring of Russian submarines, warships operating in United Kingdom waters and tracking sanctioned oil tankers from the Russian ‘shadow fleet’—a network of tankers used by the Russian state to clandestinely transport crude oil and evade international sanctions.

The Spaniard reportedly met Janina White, 49, on the online dating app Tinder in October 2024. White is believed to have been born in the Soviet Union but relocated to Poland and then to the United Kingdom as a teenager. She currently resides in Romford, London and holds joint Polish-British nationalities. Shortly prior to entering into a romantic relationship with the Spanish naval commander, White reportedly split from her British husband. The NATO commander is also believed to have separated from his wife shortly before starting a relationship with White.

Initial concerns were raised in December 2024 when, according to court documents, the couple attended a Christmas function at Northwood Headquarters. The following day, White reportedly accompanied her boyfriend to Oeiras, Portugal, while he attended an official meeting at Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. The facility serves as NATO’s primary platform for integrating United States maritime forces into the Alliance’s operations. White maintains this was her only visit of substance to a NATO facility and insists she never entered classified areas. Read more of this post