A Tinder match has become a security issue for NATO after a senior Spanish Navy officer's affair with a woman born in the former Soviet Union raised suspicions of a possible link to Russian intelligence. The case is linked to one of the Alliance's most important centres in Britain, where the officer served at Allied Maritime Command, MARCOM, in Northwood, Hertfordshire.
According to the Telegraph, the Spanish officer was in a relationship with Janina White, 49, a British and Polish citizen born in the former Soviet Union. White has been suspected of having links to the Kremlin, but she categorically denies the allegations and says she has been treated unfairly because of her origins. "I know for sure that I am not a Russian spy. At least the last time I checked, I was not," she told the British newspaper.
The Spanish officer's position made the matter particularly sensitive. He served in MARCOM, NATO's center responsible for maritime security and intelligence coordination, and his duties included monitoring Russian submarines and warships, as well as tankers linked to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," which circumvents Western sanctions.
White admitted she was generally aware of the nature of her partner's work, but insisted she had no knowledge of operational information. "I knew they were dealing with the Russian fleet and submarines in the shadows. But there was a complete ban on discussing any details in the country," she said.
The couple met in October 2024 on Tinder, shortly after White had separated from her ex-husband. A few months later, on December 12, 2024, the officer invited her to a social event at the Northwood base. According to court documents cited by the Telegraph, White was granted a one-day escorted visitor pass to enter the military base.
But then, suspicions surrounding her led to security measures. The officer's access to the base was revoked and the commander banned him from entering Northwood's facilities while the investigation was ongoing. At the same time, two separate security procedures were launched, one within NATO and the other by Spanish authorities.
According to a court document cited by the British newspaper, the proceedings led Spain to suspend the officer's national security clearance. British authorities, according to the same document, were not involved in the specific investigation. In the end, the Spanish officer left Northwood and returned to Spain in 2025.
Meanwhile, Janina White, who lives in Romford, east London, continues to deny any links to Russian intelligence. She claims that suspicions against her are fueled by her origins and that she has been treated with prejudice because she was born in the former Soviet Union. White has also announced that she is no longer in a relationship with the Spanish officer.
The case has brought into sharp focus the tight security measures surrounding Northwood, one of NATO's main military bases in Europe. A relationship that began with a Tinder encounter ended in an international security probe and cost a senior Spanish officer access to one of the Alliance's most sensitive facilities.
