Spy nest: Austria declares four Russian diplomatic mission staff persona non grata

Austria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared four Russian diplomats working in Vienna persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country as soon as possible, the Austrian Foreign Ministry said, citing information from national security agencies. Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

The reason for the expulsions was the diplomats’ engagement in activities incompatible with their official diplomatic status—a phrase traditionally used in international practice to refer to illegal intelligence gathering and espionage.

Three of the employees being expelled served at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Austria, while the fourth was assigned to the Russian Federation’s Permanent Mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). According to Austrian intelligence agencies, Russian representatives used their diplomatic immunity to conduct covert intelligence operations, gather sensitive information about the military and economic infrastructure of European countries, and coordinate agent networks in central Europe. Vienna has long been regarded by international experts as one of the main logistical and operational hubs of Russian intelligence agencies because of the concentration of international organizations’ headquarters there.

The expulsion of the Russians is a continuation of the Austrian authorities’ consistent policy of rigorously cracking down on Russian espionage activities on their territory. The Russian Embassy in Vienna responded with a standard protest, but Austria’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that the decision was based on conclusive intelligence evidence and was not subject to review, and that those being expelled must leave the country within the prescribed deportation period.

Recall, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has turned Austria’s capital into a center for Europe-wide surveillance.