Austria has declared two Russian diplomats persona non grata. As a spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) announced on Wednesday evening, the two had “taken actions that are incompatible with their diplomatic status”.
This formulation is most often used when discussing intelligence activities. It is an open secret that there are spies among the staff of the Russian embassy in Vienna.
Departure no later than Tuesday
Those affected should leave Austrian territory by March 19 at the latest. You worked at the Russian bilateral embassy in Austria, not at the representation to international organizations in Vienna.
In the past, Austria has been quite cautious about expelling Russian diplomats. The reason for this was, among other things, the impact on the Austrian representation in Moscow, which is much more sparsely staffed. In fact, the Russian Foreign Ministry immediately announced a “response” to the “unwarranted” expulsion of the two diplomats.
Consequences for domestic diplomats?
It is expected that Austrian diplomats in Moscow will now also have to pack their bags, even though they have not committed anything comparable to the two suspected Russian spies in Vienna.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
