Austria expels 4 Russian diplomats, one of them from a European mission

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Austria announced the expulsion of four Russian diplomats, on the grounds that they were accused of engaging in activities inconsistent with their diplomatic status, in a new step within Vienna's moves to confront foreign intelligence activities.

The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that the decision was based on findings reached by the security authorities in the country, explaining that three of the diplomats work at the Russian embassy in Vienna, while the fourth belongs to the Russian delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and all of them were declared “undesirable” persons, obliging them to leave Austrian territory.

The Ministry did not reveal details of the activities attributed to the four diplomats, nor did it mention an official statement from the Russian side regarding the decision.

The move comes at a time when Russian intelligence activities are facing increased scrutiny in Europe since the start of the Russian war on Ukraine in February 2022, as several European countries resorted to expelling Russian diplomats and imposing sanctions on Moscow.

Vienna gains special importance in this context, as it hosts the headquarters of international organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and United Nations agencies, making it an important diplomatic center, and at the same time an important arena for foreign intelligence activities.

Although Austria has adopted military neutrality and is not a member of NATO, it has joined European measures against Moscow since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The country faces criticism over its laws, which are seen as not providing adequate protection against some forms of foreign espionage, amid discussions about tightening relevant legislation.

Austria had previously expelled three Russian employees in May 2026 on suspicion of espionage related to equipment and antennas on Russian diplomatic buildings in Vienna, which local reports said might have been used to collect data. According to Reuters, the new decision brings the number of Russian diplomats expelled by Austria since 2020 to 18.