US Army Officer Arrested in Russia Espionage Probe. He Was Stationed at NATO Headquarters

A US Army lieutenant colonel stationed at a NATO military headquarters in Britain has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to spy for Russia, with authorities preparing criminal charges against him in a case involving British counterterrorism police, the FBI and American military investigators.

Lt. Col. Brandon Tyner, 41, was arrested near Gloucester, England, on Tuesday, November 10, on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service and obtaining or disclosing protected information. He was serving at NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps headquarters at Imjin Barracks, a multinational military command responsible for responding to crises and coordinating operations across the alliance.

The officer was identified publicly Thursday after U.S. officials confirmed his identity to the Associated Press. British authorities are expected to bring charges as early as Sunday or Monday, after which the U.S. military intends to pursue prosecution under its own military justice system.

A U.S. official told AP that no information had reached Russian authorities. The nature of the material Tyner allegedly attempted to obtain or disclose has not been made public.

The case has drawn attention because of Tyner's assignment to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, a British-led NATO headquarters involving military personnel from approximately 20 countries. The unit is designed to respond rapidly to international crises and coordinate multinational land operations.

Tyner worked as a senior human resources officer at the headquarters. He joined the U.S. Army in 2008 and had previously served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Qatar, according to officials cited by CBS News.

British police said the arrest followed an investigation conducted in close cooperation with U.S. authorities, including the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

The 41-year-old was detained under Sections 1 and 3 of Britain's National Security Act 2023, which cover offenses involving protected information and assistance to foreign intelligence services.

Officers also searched two locations in Gloucestershire as part of the investigation. On Thursday, investigators obtained a warrant extending Tyner's detention until Nov. 19. He remained in custody at a London police station, according to a statement from London's Metropolitan Police.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, the senior national coordinator for counterterrorism policing, described the allegations as serious and said the investigation remained ongoing.

"This significant arrest and investigation is a result of close collaboration between UK and US authorities," Evans said.

FBI Director Kash Patel also addressed the case, saying allegations of espionage involving American military personnel were a matter of national security concern.

"This FBI has no tolerance for anyone who breaks their oath to the United States and whose actions endanger our national security and that of our partners," Patel said in the police statement.

Patel said the FBI had made 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests over the previous 21 months, a 53% increase. He credited cooperation between American and British authorities, including MI5 and military counterintelligence officials, for the latest arrest.

Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commander of U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, said the allegations demonstrated the continuing threat posed by individuals with access to sensitive military information.

"The alleged conduct of a senior solider, entrusted with sensitive information, is a sobering reminder that insider threats are real and persistent," Stinchon said. The Kremlin has denied any connection to the officer.

"This arrest does not concern us in any way. We don't know what it's connected to," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday, according to Russian news services cited by AP.

Tyner's arrest also comes during a period of heightened security concerns involving NATO facilities in Britain.

British authorities have separately investigated suspected Iranian-linked activity near RAF Fairford, a military base used by American forces in Gloucestershire. Police emphasized that the investigation involving Tyner was unrelated to that case or other ongoing counterterrorism inquiries.

The latest arrest took place as Washington, Moscow and Kyiv were engaged in renewed diplomatic efforts over the war in Ukraine. However, authorities have not established any connection between the espionage allegations and those negotiations.

British investigators have not publicly disclosed Tyner's alleged motive, the specific information involved or the circumstances that led to his arrest. Officials have indicated that legal proceedings could take place in both Britain and the United States.