About it reports the newspaper The Wall Street Journal.
More than ten officials from Austria, other countries in Europe and the United States, with whom journalists spoke with, in general, they say that Vienna has become a "base" for the underground operational activities of Russia. Including these operatives coordinate financial and logistical support for murders, sabotage and recruitment throughout Europe.
According to Austrian intelligence interlocutors, in the last two years, the number of Russian officials working in Austria has increased from about 400 to more than 500. About half of them are diplomats and persons with managerial functions, and about half of the de facto act as spies.
The Russians from the consulate of the Russian Federation in Munich were relocated to Austria when it was closed. Among them, there were several spies.
Russian diploma employees in Vienna work in about 40 buildings, their roofs have a variety of observation equipment.
Special services suspect that Russian operatives in Austria, including those involved in tracking the logistics of Western military assistance for Ukraine. Also, Russian officials in Vienna allegedly paid a fee to the murderers of the Russian pilot, who went to cooperate with Ukraine and stole the Mi-8 helicopter in exchange for a large remuneration, and later found him killed in Spain.
Also, they say in Austrian special services, Russia is terrestrially transported to Austria with large amounts of cash, and then Russian "diplomats" in Austria carry this money throughout Europe, often in their personal things that police cannot check.
"We are becoming a problem for our neighbors because Russia uses us as an operational base," the anonymous interlocutor stated in Austrian intelligence.
The problem does not go unnoticed among politicians. Opposition MP Stephanie Chrisper from the profile committee noted that the Austrian government should put an end to "extremely dangerous inaction" on the actions of Russian spies, because in fact it is undermines of attempts to weaken Russian influence in Europe.
At the same time in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Austria comment that they consider the country one of the safest, since its security structures are very effective.
The ministry spokeswoman stated that intelligence was aware of the threat of Russian spies and operations of influence, and that these threats are counteracted within the limits specified by law.
In fact, espionage in Austria is not forbidden until it is directed against Austria itself. The Austrian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman commented that Vienna would support the expulsion of diplomats who violate the law when there is sufficient evidence.
According to the DS, on February 13, Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who Victorious Helicopter Mi-8 and fled to Ukraine, was killed in Spain.
