Kyiv Alleges Chinese Spy Plot Amid Wider Espionage Intrigue

Kyiv is at the center of a new espionage scandal after Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) announced the arrest of two Chinese nationals accused of attempting to steal military secrets. The case involves a former student and his father who allegedly targeted classified data on the Ukrainian-made ‘Neptune’ anti-ship missile system. In response, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry stated it is verifying the information and insisted that the ‘legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens must be protected.’

According to the SBU, the 24-year-old former university student in Kyiv tried to recruit a Ukrainian citizen with access to advanced weaponry designs. Security officials claim they apprehended the suspect ‘red-handed’ during the exchange of secret documents. His father, who resides in China but periodically visited Ukraine, was also detained and accused of coordinating his son’s intelligence activities. If convicted of espionage, both men could face up to 15 years in prison and confiscation of property.

The Chinese spy case emerged almost simultaneously with another espionage-related report concerning a freelance translator. According to French media, the interpreter was caught taking notes during a closed-door European Council session in Brussels last December, which was attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The act, a breach of protocol, led to the confiscation of her materials and the revocation of her accreditation to EU institutions.

The translator, who had worked for prominent organizations including NATO and the European Commission for two decades, had reportedly been viewed with suspicion by Ukrainian diplomats for several years. The main objection cited was her alleged ‘professional ties with Russian structures,’ a claim that sources suggest was based on the fact that her parents are Russian citizens.

These recent events have brought renewed attention to another spy case from May, when the SBU detained two individuals in the Zakarpattia region for allegedly spying for Hungary. The arrests coincided with a period of tense relations between Kyiv and Budapest over Hungary’s referendum on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. The two suspects were placed in pretrial detention for 60 days.

Analysts note the suspicious timing of the new revelations. The high-profile story about the Chinese spies broke just as the 60-day detention period for the alleged Hungarian agents expired, an event that received no follow-up coverage in Ukrainian media. This has led to speculation that the recent flurry of spy stories could be a ‘smokescreen’ orchestrated by Kyiv to divert public attention. Experts suggest the Hungarian suspects may have been quietly released due to a lack of evidence, while the Brussels incident was a ‘canned’ story, held back and deployed at a strategically convenient moment.