Translated material
Austria expelled three Russian diplomats
Austria expelled three Russian diplomats, declaring them persona non grata due to possible espionage activities. The government announced this on Monday.
The statement said three diplomatic staff, who were not named, had already left Austria. As Reuters notes , the total number of Russian diplomats expelled from the country since 2020 has reached 14.
The expulsion decision is linked to a so-called "forest of antennas" on the roofs of diplomatic buildings that could be used for espionage activities, authorities say. “It is unacceptable that diplomatic immunity is used for espionage,” said Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger.
The newspaper Die Presse writes that in April Austria demanded the lifting of diplomatic immunity of three embassy employees, but Russia did not comply with this demand.
Earlier, the media reported that satellite equipment installed on the territory of the Russian embassy in Vienna and other Russian diplomatic buildings could be used to intercept data from international organizations headquartered in the Austrian capital.
In 2024, The Wall Street Journal wrote that Vienna had become one of the centers of espionage and operational activities of Russian intelligence services in European countries - after sharp cuts in the number of diplomats in other countries.
The Russian Embassy in Austria called Vienna's decision "outrageous." The report says that employees of the Russian embassy and the Permanent Mission to the OSCE were expelled. “Moscow’s tough reaction to these absolutely thoughtless actions of the Austrian side will certainly follow,” the statement said. Russia, as a rule, expels in response the corresponding number of diplomats from the countries from which Russian diplomats were expelled.
Radio Liberty news release:
Austria expelled three Russian diplomats