Vienna– Austria expelled three Russian embassy employees suspected of spying using antennas on Russian diplomatic buildings, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry confirmed a report broadcast Sunday by Austrian public broadcaster ORF, which said Austrian authorities suspected three diplomats of engaging in spying activities using antennas on the rooftops of the Russian embassy in Vienna and a diplomatic compound in the Donaustadt district.
These installations allowed Russia to intercept data transmitted via satellite Internet by Vienna-based international organizations, ORF reports.
Austria hosts several United Nations agencies, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
“Espionage is a security problem for Austria. In this government, we have changed course and are taking decisive action against it,” Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Risinger said in a statement.
“We have made this abundantly clear to the Russian side, also with regard to the chain of antennas at the Russian Embassy. One thing is clear: using diplomatic immunity to engage in espionage is unacceptable.”
Western European countries and Russia have since expelled each other’s diplomats on several occasions. Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine In February 2022. Austria, an EU member with a policy of military neutrality, was initially hesitant to take such action but recently more expelled Russian diplomat.
According to ORF, the Russian ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in April over the activities of diplomats. The Russian side was asked to extend its immunity to allow prosecutors to pursue the investigation, but it refused, leading to the expulsion, ORF reported. They have already left Austria, it said.
In his statement, the Foreign Minister said that Austria is currently tightening espionage laws to prevent such cases. The law is now in force Penalizes espionage by foreign services only when it targets Austrian interests. According to the Austrian Press Agency, the changes proposed by the government would require similar protections when it comes to international organizations.
The Russian Embassy in Vienna did not respond to a request for comment. In a post on Telegram on Monday she wrote that she had taken note of Austria’s “disgraceful” decision regarding its workers.
The statement said Moscow would respond strongly, adding that “Vienna takes full responsibility for the further deterioration in bilateral relations, which are already at historic lows.”
