U.S. Army officer arrested in UK on alleged espionage for Russia

The U.S. Army confirmed that Lt. Col. Brandon Carroll Tymer, a 41-year-old human resources officer who has served since 2008 and deployed to Afghanistan, Qatar and Iraq, was arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of aiding Russian intelligence. The arrest took place at Imjin Barracks near Gloucestershire, a base that hosts NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, and Tymer is being held at a London police station while investigations continue under Britain’s 2023 National Security Act.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the case involves “allegations of espionage” and noted that the FBI has made 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests in the past 21 months. Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, commanding general of the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, thanked British authorities and urged anyone who observes suspicious activity to report it to their local counterintelligence office.

The detention occurs as the U.S. European Command’s “See Something, Do Something” campaign encourages service members, families and civilian employees to remain vigilant about digital security and report unusual behavior. Experts have warned that Russia is increasing hybrid-warfare activities, though no specific threat was linked to the current case.