2024-03-14 15:35:15
Austria declared two Russian diplomats persona non grata, the Austrian news agency APA reported, as quoted by BTA.
A spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told APA this evening that the two “committed actions that are inconsistent with their diplomatic status.”
This wording is usually used when dealing with secret service activities. It is an open secret that there are spies among the employees of the Russian Embassy in Vienna.
The persons in question must leave Austrian territory by March 19 at the latest. They worked in the Russian embassy in Austria, not in the representation to international organizations in Vienna.
In the past, Austria has been more reluctant to expel Russian diplomats. One of the reasons for this was the impact on the Austrian representation in Moscow, which has a much more limited staff. In fact, the Russian Foreign Ministry immediately announced a “reaction” to the “groundless” expulsion of the two diplomats. Austrian diplomats in Moscow are also expected to be forced to pack up, even if they are not guilty of anything like the two suspected Russian spies in Vienna.