Austria accuses a Greek citizen of spying for Russia

A 39-year-old Greek citizen of Russian origin is accused by Austrian investigators of spying for the Russian military intelligence agency GRU.

The man, who allegedly received military training in Russia, passed information he gathered in Austria about the war in Ukraine to various diplomats and intelligence services, the interior ministry said in Vienna today, adding that he is the son of a Russian a former spy who was once stationed in Germany and Austria as a diplomat.

The Austrian ministry made the announcement following an investigation by the Austrian domestic intelligence service “in close international cooperation” with countries or institutions it did not name.

The man in question was in Russia shortly before and during the start of the military invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces in late February.

The man, who faces up to five years in prison for “supporting a foreign intelligence service against Austria”, is still on the run. Investigators from the Austrian Directorate General of Public Security found wiretapping devices, hidden cameras, mobile phones, computers and a bulletproof vest he had used.

The man became a suspect because of his frequent travels. From 2018 to early 2022, he had made a total of 65 trips to countries in Europe and beyond, including Russia, Belarus, Turkey and Georgia. He had acquired properties in Vienna, Russia and Greece, although officially he had only a small income, the Austrian ministry announced.

The Russian embassy in Vienna did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the story.

RES-EMP

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