Austria expels four Russian diplomats over alleged espionage activities

The Austrian government announced on Friday the expulsion of four Russian diplomats accused of engaging in espionage activities in the country, EFE and AFP reported, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

In a statement, Austria’s Foreign Ministry said three diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Vienna had been declared personae non gratae under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations for conducting “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status.”

The same measure was taken against a fourth Russian diplomat accredited to Russia’s permanent mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which is headquartered in Vienna.

According to the Austrian Foreign Ministry, the diplomat was responsible for matters related to military security and arms control within the Russian mission.

All four Russian representatives have been ordered to leave Austrian territory, the ministry, headed by Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, said.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Austria has expelled a total of 18 Russian diplomats, including the four announced on Friday.

Russia maintains three diplomatic missions in Vienna: its bilateral embassy, its permanent mission to the OSCE and its mission to the United Nations.

According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, more than 200 Russian diplomats are accredited to these missions.

Austria, a neutral country and a member of the European Union, has supported Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion.

While Austria does not provide military assistance to Ukraine, it has offered humanitarian and civilian aid, contributed financial support and hosted tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees, many of whom live in Vienna.

The Austrian capital, home to numerous international organizations, has long been regarded as a major center of international espionage, EFE noted.

Photo: Chat GPT