Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has detained two Chinese citizens in Kyiv on suspicion of attempting to illegally obtain and export classified documentation concerning the RK-360MC Neptune missile system.
The SBU alleges that the individuals were working on behalf of the Chinese state to gain access to sensitive Ukrainian defence technologies.
According to a joint statement issued by the SBU and the Office of the Prosecutor General, the two suspects are a 24-year-old former student of a Kyiv technical university and his father, a permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China who regularly travelled to Ukraine. The younger man reportedly remained in Kyiv following his expulsion from university in 2023. Ukrainian counter-intelligence operatives say he attempted to recruit a Ukrainian with knowledge of advanced weapons development in order to obtain the classified materials.
The Neptune missile system is a critical component of Ukraine’s coastal defence capabilities. It is designed to destroy surface combatants, including amphibious assault ships. The system gained international attention in 2022 when a Neptune missile strike resulted in the sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian officials have since regarded the Neptune system as a strategic asset and a symbol of domestic military innovation.
SBU officers reportedly intercepted the suspect “in the act” while receiving classified documents from a Ukrainian contact. His father was later apprehended as he attempted to coordinate the transfer of these materials to Chinese intelligence services. Investigators believe the intention was to smuggle the documents out of Ukraine for delivery to authorities in the People’s Republic of China. Ukrainian prosecutors noted that the father had entered Ukraine on 7 July and visited the Chinese Embassy in Kyiv the following day.
Both men have been charged under Article 114, Part 1 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, relating to espionage. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison with the possibility of asset confiscation.
Commenting on the case, Anton Hanotskyi, an expert on the Asia-Pacific region at the Adastra analytical centre, described the arrest as a “successful counter-intelligence operation” and a sign of Kyiv’s increasingly realistic assessment of China’s role in the war. He stated that the attempt to acquire Neptune documentation indicates a deeper involvement by China in supporting Russia’s military efforts.
Hanotskyi noted that intelligence cooperation between the Russian and Chinese security services has intensified significantly in recent years, including regular consultations between the FSB, GRU, and China’s Ministry of State Security. “There is no doubt that had these documents reached Chinese hands, they would eventually have ended up in Moscow,” he said.
The case is seen by some analysts as a signal to Western allies, particularly the United States, of Ukraine’s readiness to confront not only Russian but also Chinese espionage efforts. The arrest also coincides with broader reports from Western intelligence agencies regarding China’s growing provision of components for Russian drones and other military hardware.
Despite public diplomatic neutrality, China has been repeatedly accused by Western officials and Ukrainian sources of providing indirect support to Russia, particularly in the fields of dual-use technology and cyber capabilities. Hanotskyi also referenced China’s efforts to expand influence across Europe, noting examples of covert police stations operating under diplomatic cover and the control exercised over local Chinese diaspora communities.
The incident has further strained already tense relations between Kyiv and Beijing. While trade between the two countries remains active—China is still one of Ukraine’s largest import partners—the political relationship has cooled substantially. Efforts by Ukrainian diplomats to engage Beijing, including a high-level visit by former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in 2023, have not yielded significant results.
Hanotskyi observed that China increasingly views Ukraine as aligned with Washington, making a reset in bilateral relations unlikely. He cited recent remarks from top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi that explicitly opposed a Russian defeat in the war, interpreting them as confirmation of Beijing’s support for the Kremlin’s strategic objectives.
Amid these developments, the European Union is preparing for a planned summit with China in late July, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations. However, questions remain over President Xi Jinping’s potential absence from the event, following a series of missed international summits. Some analysts suggest this reflects either a deliberate political message or concerns over Xi’s health.
The arrests in Kyiv are likely to add further complexity to EU-China relations, which are already marked by economic interdependence and strategic divergence. Recent efforts by French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders to reduce dependency on both the United States and China reflect a growing desire for strategic autonomy, but practical alternatives remain limited.
For Ukraine, the espionage case underscores the ongoing security challenges facing its defence industry during wartime and highlights the importance of intelligence coordination with Western partners in countering foreign infiltration. The SBU has warned that espionage networks—Chinese and otherwise—continue to operate across the country and pose a persistent threat to national security.
