Three Russian diplomats expelled from Austria over spying accusations

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Austria has expelled three Russian diplomats, accusing them of spying.

The diplomats, who have already left the country, used a "forest of antennas" installed on the roofs of diplomatic buildings to gather information, Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said.

A report by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF), confirmed by the foreign ministry, said the antennas were on the roof of the Russian embassy in Vienna and at a Russian diplomatic compound.

"We regard this latest unfriendly move by the Austrian authorities as entirely unjustified, purely politically motivated and categorically unacceptable," the Russian embassy said in a statement.

"Moscow will undoubtedly respond harshly to these completely ill-considered actions on the part of the Austrian side."

According to ORF, antennas have long been a thorn in the side of the Austrian intelligence services because they have allowed Russia to intercept data sent via satellite internet by organisations, including international ones.

"Espionage is a security issue for Austria," Meinl-Reisinger said in a statement sent to the BBC.

"We have brought about a change of course in this government and are taking decisive action against it. We have made this clear to the Russian side, particularly with regard to the forest of antennas at the Russian embassy."

She added that it was "unacceptable for diplomatic immunity to be used to carry out espionage."

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It is the latest in a series of incidents involving individuals being accused of spying for Russia on Austria and Germany.

In January, a former intelligence official went on trial in Vienna in what was dubbed as the country's biggest spy trial in years.

Egisto Ott was charged with having handed over information to Russian intelligence officers and to Jan Marsalek, the fugitive executive of collapsed German payments firm Wirecard - allegedly receiving payment in return. His lawyer, Anna Mair, has previously rejected the allegations.

Marsalek, an Austrian citizen, is accused of being an intelligence asset for Russia's security service, the FSB. He is wanted by German police for alleged fraud and is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice.

Marsalek is currently thought to be in Moscow, having fled via Austria in 2020. Ott's trial is ongoing.

Separately, Germany announced in the same month that it had expelled someone accused of spying for Russia and had summoned it ambassador.

In a social media post, Germany's foreign ministry said they did not tolerate espionage in the country, "particularly not under the cover of diplomatic status."

Vienna has a long tradition as a centre of espionage, which continues up to the present day. During the Cold War, neutral Austria, which was situated close to the Iron Curtain, was a convenient listening post.

These days, the country is home to one of the headquarters of the United Nations (UN), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Many countries have up to two diplomatic missions to these international organisations, as well as an embassy - providing both diplomatic immunity and cover for spies.

The Austrian government's most recent Report on the Protection of the Constitution said Vienna was "one of the last remaining locations for Russian signals intelligence in Europe".

The report said this had also contributed to "the large number of Russian diplomatic staff" in the capital.

"Austria's international reputation is being damaged by Russian signals intelligence activities originating in Vienna," it said.

Around 220 people are still accredited to Russian diplomatic missions in Austria.

The country has expelled 14 Russian embassy staff since the start of the war in Ukraine.