On July 7, Italian police arrested two former employees of the country’s intelligence services on suspicion of spying for Russia. According to investigators, the group systematically passed Moscow information about Western air defense systems being supplied to Ukraine, as well as other sensitive NATO defense technologies.
As reported by Italian investigators, the Russian handler was a GRU officer working under diplomatic cover, acting on behalf of the military attaché of the Russian Embassy in Rome, Mikhail Astakov. He was primarily interested in Western assistance to Ukraine in the field of air defense.
In particular, the Russians were seeking data on the transfer to Kyiv of the advanced European air defense system Michelangelo Dome developed by Leonardo. According to the company’s CEO Roberto Cingolani, components of the system are planned to be tested in Ukraine by the end of 2026. MBDA CAMM-ER missiles were also a target of espionage. It is known that in July 2025, Ukraine and MBDA agreed on the localization of production and assembly of missiles of this family.
For each package of information handed over, Piras allegedly received 4,000 euros in cash, according to investigators. The money was transferred at meetings in parks and bars in Rome, and some of the data, according to the prosecution, was left on micro-SD cards in secret locations.
On July 9, the Italian government declared two Russian military attachés of the Russian Embassy persona non grata, including Astakov. It should be noted that due to diplomatic immunity, the GRU officer himself is not subject to criminal prosecution in Italy. Expulsion from the country was the only available tool of influence.