VIENNA (AP) — Three Russian Embassy workers have been forced to leave Austria after officials discovered they were conducting surveillance operations using antenna equipment installed on diplomatic buildings, the country’s Foreign Ministry announced Monday.
Austrian officials confirmed findings first reported by public broadcaster ORF on Sunday, which revealed that the three diplomats were under investigation for operating spy equipment mounted on the Russian Embassy roof in Vienna and another diplomatic facility in the Donaustadt area.
The rooftop equipment enabled Russian operatives to capture satellite internet communications from major international organizations headquartered in Vienna, according to ORF’s investigation.
Vienna serves as home base for numerous significant global organizations, including multiple United Nations agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, along with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
“Espionage is a security problem for Austria. In this government, we have changed course and are taking decisive action against it,” Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said in a statement.
“We have made this unequivocally clear to the Russian side, also with regard to the array of antennas at the Russian embassy. One thing is clear: it is unacceptable for diplomatic immunity to be used to engage in espionage.”
Diplomatic expulsions between Western European countries and Russia have become increasingly common following Moscow’s large-scale military assault on Ukraine that began in February 2022. While Austria maintains military neutrality as European Union policy and initially showed reluctance to take such measures, the nation has recently increased its expulsion of Russian diplomatic personnel.
ORF reported that Austrian authorities summoned the Russian ambassador in April to address the suspected activities of the three diplomats. Officials requested that Russia waive diplomatic immunity to allow criminal prosecutors to move forward with their investigation, but Russian authorities declined, ultimately resulting in the expulsions. The three individuals have already departed Austria, according to the report.
The foreign minister noted that Austria is currently working to strengthen its espionage legislation to address similar situations in the future. Current laws only criminalize foreign intelligence operations that specifically target Austrian national interests. The Austrian Press Agency reports that proposed government reforms would extend similar legal protections to cover international organizations operating within the country.
Russian Embassy officials in Vienna declined to provide comment when contacted. However, the embassy posted a response on Telegram Monday, stating it had noted Austria’s “outrageous” decision regarding its personnel.
The statement indicated Moscow plans a strong response, declaring, “Vienna bears full responsibility for the further deterioration of bilateral relations, which are already at a historical low.”
