- Chinese father and son arrested in Kyiv for attempting to steal Neptune missile technology
- Son was a former Kyiv university student expelled for poor academic performance in 2023
- Father coordinated espionage and tried to transfer classified data to Chinese special services
Ukraine has arrested a Chinese father and son suspected of attempting to steal classified technology related to its Neptune missile programme. The missile system is a centrepiece of Kyiv's domestic defence industry and the weapon credited with sinking Russia's Moskva warship in 2022.
In a statement, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said the two Chinese nationals were detained in a counterintelligence operation in Kyiv. The 24-year-old son, a former student at a Kyiv technical university, was allegedly caught receiving technical documentation related to the RK-360MC Neptune missile system. He had remained in Ukraine after being expelled from the university in 2023 for academic underperformance. According to the SBU, he attempted to recruit a Ukrainian citizen involved in weapons development to gain access to sensitive military research.
His father, who resides in China but made regular visits to Ukraine, was later arrested after allegedly coordinating his son's intelligence-gathering activities and attempting to transfer the materials to Chinese special services. The agency said the two men were apprehended during different stages of the operation and described the father as personally overseeing the espionage effort.
A Ukrainian official told Reuters that the pair are the first Chinese nationals detained for spying since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. The SBU's statement, also posted on its official Telegram channel, detailed that investigators found digital evidence on the suspects' mobile devices, including correspondence indicating their coordinated effort to smuggle classified information out of Ukraine.
The Neptune missile system has emerged as a symbol of Ukraine's indigenous defence capability. Developed domestically, it gained global attention when Ukrainian forces used it to destroy the Moskva, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet. With its advanced targeting and anti-ship capabilities, the missile plays a pivotal role in Kyiv's defence against ongoing Russian aggression.
Both suspects have been formally charged with espionage under Article 114 of Ukraine's Criminal Code. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison and the confiscation of their assets, according to the SBU. The legal proceedings are being conducted under the supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
The arrests came amid rising Ukrainian concerns about Beijing's role in the war. While China has sought to maintain a public image of neutrality, Kyiv has in recent months accused Beijing of aiding Russia's military effort.
