Austria has expelled Russian diplomats over suspected espionage — Reuters
Austrian authorities declared three Russian diplomats persona non grata over the possible use of equipment on the roof of the diplomatic mission to intercept communications. They subsequently left the country.
This was reported by Reuters.
Austria declared three Russian diplomats persona non grata due to a “forest of antennas” on the roofs of the diplomatic mission’s buildings, which could have been used to gather information and intercept data, said the country’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger.
“It is unacceptable to use diplomatic immunity to engage in espionage,” the head of the Austrian Foreign Ministry emphasized. She added that all three Russian representatives have already left Vienna.
As the Financial Times previously reported, all diplomatic missions have satellite dishes for communication with their capitals, but Russian antennas are actively used to track various satellites for the purpose of intercepting signals.
For instance, on the eve of the Munich Security Conference in February, one of the largest such antennas was reoriented, and the day after the conference ended, it returned to its previous position. The publication’s sources also reported that over the past two years, Western intelligence agencies have tracked the installation of new antennas and other unusual devices on the roofs of Russian buildings.
Earlier, Britain revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat in response to Russia’s actions.
The British government is also introducing stricter controls on export licenses to block the supply of sanctioned goods to Russia via third countries. The new system will allow authorities to require manufacturers to obtain a license even for goods that previously did not require special permits, if there is suspicion that the country of destination is aiding the aggressor.
The UK is warning of an increased threat of cyberattacks supported by the governments of certain countries.
