On the 23rd of October, the Austrian Foreign Ministry announced that it would expel four Russian diplomats based in Vienna for engaging in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status—a term typically used to refer to espionage, reports Reuters.The Ministry stated that, based on information uncovered by Austrian security services, a decision has been made regarding four Russian diplomats in Vienna, declaring them personae non gratae and ordering them to leave the country.Three of the diplomats worked at the Russian Embassy in Austria, while one served as a Russian representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). This latest decision brings the total number of Russian diplomats expelled from Austria since 2020 to 18. Although Austria is a neutral country, its government has politically sided with Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.The Russian Embassy did not respond to a request for comment.While Austria generally does not comment on the specific reasons for expulsions, during a previous round of expulsions in May, authorities indicated that three individuals were required to leave the country due to the presence of antennas on the embassy roof—equipment that could potentially be used for espionage. Vienna is a significant diplomatic hub, hosting the OSCE and the headquarters of several UN organizations. Major powers, such as the United States and Russia, typically appoint separate ambassadors to Austria, the OSCE, and the UN organizations, with each ambassador overseeing their own respective embassy or mission. Vienna has a long-standing reputation as a center for espionage, and its extensive diplomatic presence provides an opportunity to station intelligence agents there under the cover of diplomatic immunity.
Austria again expells Russian diplomats
