Russian intelligence agents are accused of escalating provocation against NATO countries – from arson and cyber attacks to the sabotage of infrastructure and drone attacks. European Security Services consider these activities to be a coordinated campaign aimed at destabilizing the European allies of Ukraine.
The proposed provisions to be found in a new sanctions package against Russia prepared in Brussels would require Russian diplomats to inform governments about plans to enter their countries.
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Hungary withdrew from the announcement of vetoing the package, but Austria may stand in the way of sanction. She wants the abolition of sanctions to the assets of the oligarch Oleg Dieripaski, which would then fall to the Austrian bank Raiffeisen, compensating for a retaliation penalty imposed on the bank by a Russian court.
Ambassadors of several countries have announced, however, that if Vienna's proposal is taken into account, they will not be able to support the package. According to “FT”, some European politicians are afraid that consent to the postulate of Vienna would legitimize the celebration of sanctions by oligarchs and strengthen Russian courts, which in retaliation for sanctions order a confiscation of Western assets.
Russian spies impersonate diplomats
EU intelligence agencies say that Russian spies impersonating diplomats often conduct activities outside the borders of their host countries. “They are delegated to one place, but they work in another,” said “FT” high -ranking EU diplomat, citing intelligence reports. “Intelligence services for hosting the knowledge of what Russian spies do, but if they cross the border, this country will be more difficult to follow them,” he added.
In particular, the Czech government was in particular with the introduction of restrictions from May last year. Prague has suspended the entry of many Russian diplomats suspected of supporting intelligence, but hundreds of them are still accredited in neighboring Austria and from there they can legally cross the border with the Czechs.
“There is no Schengen zone for Russia”
The Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said that restrictions are necessary to restore the principle of reciprocity. “There is no Schengen zone for Russia,” so it makes no sense that a Russian diplomat accredited in Spain can come to Prague whenever he wants, “he said. “We should apply a strict reciprocity principle when issuing short -term diplomatic visas under the Vienna Convention,” he added.
In 2014, the Czech Republic fell victim to one of the most serious Russian sabotage attacks on the EU, when two people were killed as a result of the explosion in the warehouse. Prague attributed an attack to the agents of Russian foreign intelligence GRU – he reminded “FT”.
