Austria Expels Three Russian Diplomats After Discovering Antenna Installations on Embassy Properties

Austria expelled three Russian embassy staff members on suspicion of spying after discovering a forest of antennae on the Russian diplomatic mission in Vienna, which authorities determined were used for illicit data collection. The three diplomats, declared personae non gratae, had already left the country.

A collection of satellite dishes was mounted on Russian diplomatic properties in Vienna, including a residential complex for diplomatic staff.

These installations, described as an antenna forest, have been under scrutiny by Austrian intelligence services for years. The satellite dishes could be employed to eavesdrop on other nations' satellite communications. The Directorate for State Security and Intelligence has monitored the rooftop equipment for an extended period.

Sylvia Mayer, who leads the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence, addressed journalists about the threat posed by the installations. Mayer cited the scale and characteristics of the installations as factors of concern. The expelled individuals are Russian embassy staff, as confirmed by Austrian broadcaster ORF and the foreign ministry.

With these expulsions, Austria has removed 14 Russian diplomatic personnel from the country since 2020. Numerous satellite dishes were placed on buildings used by the Russian state in Vienna, particularly the residential complex. Vienna serves as host to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and various United Nations bodies, including the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Major powers such as Russia and the United States maintain separate ambassadors to Austria, the OSCE and UN organizations, each operating their own embassy or mission in the city. The Austrian capital's reputation as a center for espionage stretches back decades, following the Second World War when Vienna was carved into Allied sectors.

The Russian embassy in Vienna did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

The Russian news agency RIA reported that the embassy warned the Kremlin would respond severely to Austria's decision.