Italy Arrests Two Former Intelligence Operatives in Russian Espionage Case

Two retired Italian internal intelligence agents have been arrested in Rome on charges of espionage on behalf of Russia and unauthorized access to computer systems, Italian outlet Corriere della Sera reported on July 7.

The suspects, Gavino Raoul Piras and Vincenzo Di Pasquale, both former employees of the Internal Information and Security Agency (AISI), are accused of providing sensitive data to a Russian intelligence operative in exchange for money. The suspected Russian handler reportedly holds diplomatic immunity in Italy.

The spy network allegedly relied on six separate sources to gather data, including four active-duty military personnel serving within the Italian Defense Ministry’s cyber sector. These four service members, along with a fifth individual, are currently under investigation by military and civilian prosecutors for procurement of information concerning state security, political and military espionage, and the disclosure of state secrets, Corriere della Sera wrote.

AISI initiated the investigation after the agency discovered that Russian intelligence had successfully recruited a former Italian operative. The case was then coordinated with the Ros Carabinieri to counter the operation. Corriere della Sera noted that investigators revealed that the Russian espionage efforts focused on obtaining sensitive data regarding Italian defense industrial production. During physical and digital searches, authorities discovered €20,000 ($22,800) in cash held by one of the individuals involved.

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Following the arrests, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto expressed gratitude to the investigators and emphasized that there would be zero tolerance for individuals who compromise the security of the republic, according to Corriere della Sera. Lorenzo Guerini, the president of the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (Copasir), added that hostile Russian intelligence operations aimed at obtaining information that jeopardizes national security remain an active threat monitored closely by Italian institutions.

The arrests in Rome reflect a wider pattern of Russian intelligence operations targeting Western military data. In France, security services recently detained a Belarusian national caught filming a prototype drone at a factory supplying both the French armed forces and Ukraine.

Around the same time, Austria expelled three Russian diplomats following an investigation into a rooftop “antenna forest” used to intercept regional communications. These cases show the mix of tactics—from bribing local insiders to filming restricted hardware and tapping airwaves—used to compromise European security.

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