Austria Expels 3 Russian Diplomats Over Espionage

Austria expelled three Russian Embassy employees on Monday over suspicions they used rooftop antennas on diplomatic properties to conduct espionage activities targeting international organizations in Vienna.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed the move, which followed a report by Austrian public broadcaster ORF detailing antennas installed on the Russian Embassy in Vienna and a diplomatic compound in the Donaustadt district. Authorities believe the equipment enabled the interception of satellite internet data transmitted by organizations hosted in the city, including United Nations agencies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

"It is unacceptable that diplomatic immunity be used to commit espionage," Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said in a statement. She added that her government had shifted course to address espionage as a security concern, noting that officials had raised the issue directly with Russia regarding the antenna array. The three individuals, declared persona non grata, have already departed Austria, bringing the total number of Russian...