British soldier serving on NATO's frontline with Russia blackmailed by hackers who stole naked photos from his phone during mission to Estonia

Published: 13:03 EST, 9 November 2026 | Updated: 13:36 EST, 9 November 2026 A British soldier serving on Nato's frontline with Russia was blackmailed by hackers who found naked images on his mobile phone.Frightened Corporal Daniel Barton-Kennedy, 28, handed over £100 only for the cyber criminals – who may have been working for the Kremlin – to demand a further £250.The experienced infantry soldier has been sent to a military prison over the incident because he previously disobeyed an order to remove a SIM card from his device.According to court papers, the 'personal electronic device policy' was imposed in Estonia because British military activity there is 'subject to significant interest from Russian intelligence services'.The Kremlin and non-state criminals want to 'collect information about NATO capabilities, force disposition, activity patterns and personnel'.Due to that threat, Corporal Barton-Kennedy, of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, had been ordered to remove the SIM card when he left Britain earlier this year.That order was repeated when his unit arrived in Estonia. Troops were also expected to disable location services and only to log onto trusted networks while in the country. The soldier targeted by hackers who may have been working for the Kremlin was deployed to Estonia on Operation Cabrit, the UK's contribution to the defence of Baltic states.As a court heard, Corporal Barton-Kennedy knowingly ignored the order due to his desire to remain in contact with loved ones back home.However, his plan backfired as within days of arrival in the Baltic State, where citizens live in perpetual fear of a Russian invasion, hackers issued blackmail demands.On January 19 this year he approached officers and admitted being bribed. He later pleaded guilty to disobeying an order and acknowledged the implications of his actions.In court papers Corporal Barton-Kennedy explained: 'It became apparent to me the situation was not going to stop and that there was a genuine security concern. Despite still being in shock I recognised I had a duty to report the compromise without any further delay.'The Junior Non-Commissioned Officer is expected to serve his sentence at the 'glasshouse' military detention centre at Colchester garrison. On completion of his term he will be able to return to his regiment. He has also been demoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.Russia has a longstanding track record of targeting and exploiting UK service personnel deployed to the Baltic region. Troops are warned repeatedly about 'honey traps', sharing personal information with locals and online security procedures.Estonia is among the Nato states considered most vulnerable to Russian attack – hence the deployment of hundreds of British soldiers, including Corporal Barton-Kennedy, on Exercise Eastern Warrior earlier this year.The exercise is part of Operation Cabrit, a UK-led security force permanently deployed to Estonia and neighbouring states. Everyone involved is expected to observe the personal electronic device protocols – because SIM cards carry unique identifiers that locate and identify users.Russia is understood to have intercepted the phones of international volunteers who have enlisted in Ukraine's armed forces, using tracking devices to gather intelligence ahead of bombing raids.Corporal Barton-Kennedy was ordered to complete a ten-month term behind bars. He pleaded guilty to disobeying a lawful order. The court noted his offence was more serious because of the threat to security in Estonia and his relative seniority – as corporals are expected to set an example for private soldiers to follow.