For generations, Russian spies and agents have enjoyed their freedom in Austria, which they have used for surveillance, harassment of enemies, recruitment and formulating plots against other European countries, including the UK.
But Moscow’s base for European operations is coming under growing scrutiny, with a new pro-Ukraine Austrian government bringing in a raft of measures to crack down on rampant Russian espionage.
Since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 restricted Moscow’s presence across much of Europe and the West, it has intensified its activities in Vienna.
Shorts
“The accusation or critique of European partners has been that a lot of the Russian assets and intelligence personnel that were expelled moved to Austria and used it as a home base,” said Paul Schliefsteiner, head of Austrian Center for Intelligence, Propaganda and Security Studies.
