Col Christos Flessas, Espionage, Greece (2024 - 2026)

Preliminary Report

Col Christos Flessas

On February 5, 2026, Greek authorities arrested Christos Flessas, a 54-year-old senior Greek Hellenic Air Force colonel for spying for China.  According to his bio, Flessas served in units of the Hellenic Air Force, as Commander of a Telecommunications and RADAR Squadron, Head of Support, and in the Hellenic Air Force as a contract implementation officer for missile systems. He served as Director of Support and Deputy Commander of the 128th SETI in Kavouri, Attica, as well as Head of Communications of the Air Command of the Hellenic Air Force in Cyprus. In addition, he served as a NATO evaluator in the field of Communication and Information Systems.

Col Flessas was believed to have been approached online through LinkedIn by individuals purporting to be representatives of Chinese companies.  Discussions began on geostrategic policy.  Flessas allegedly met with Chinese agents while attending a NATO conference in an unidentified European country.  He then traveled to China on his own initiative under the pretext of studying Chinese language.*  PRC Intelligence Officers taught him how to use special software to ensure covert communication. Upon returning to Greece, he began photographing classified documents and sending them to China using encryption software.

Flessas' motivation was financial. He was paid between 5 and 15 thousand euros per transaction. Investigators are exploring crypto currency transactions. Reports indicate he used a separate cell phone to photograph classified documents. He deleted the evidence from his phone after sending. Flessas provided Greek counterintelligence investigators with the name of a Chinese General Officer who was somehow involved in the relationship.  Public reporting states that Flessas tried to recruit other individuals and that at least two other individuals are being investigated, one being a female. Surveillance activities had him meeting a with Chinese Intelligence asset twice in Athens in 2025 in stores. At one of the meetings a caucasian female was also present.

Status: Alleged

Tradecraft

• Online recruitment (probably LinkedIn)

• Undeclared travel to China.

  • Recruitment and tradecraft training in China.

• PRC Intelligence Officers used cover of Chinese companies.

• Third country meeting.

• Personal meetings in Athens.

• Photographing classified documents (separate cell phone).

• Deleting evidence from call phone.

• Covert communications software.

• Payments made in foreign currencies, cryptocurrencies, through electronic wallets and ATMs.

* Note: This trip was undeclared to his superiors. There is no indication in his service bio that he took any time off to study or travel in China.

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This is only a preliminary assessment based on limited information.  It will be updated as more information becomes available.