Austria has ordered four Russian diplomats to leave the country after its security authorities concluded that their activities were incompatible with their diplomatic status. The Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Friday, declaring all four personae non gratae and instructing them to leave Austrian territory, reported by Kronen Zeitung.
Three of the diplomats were stationed at the Russian Embassy in Vienna. The ministry said they had engaged in conduct that violated the rules governing their diplomatic position and were therefore expelled under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The fourth diplomat was attached to Russia’s delegation for military security and arms control at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He, too, was accused of acting in a manner inconsistent with his status under the organisation’s headquarters agreement.
The government did not publicly describe the alleged activities in detail. However, the phrase “activities incompatible with diplomatic status” is commonly used when diplomats are expelled on suspicion of espionage. The Foreign Ministry said only that the action followed findings by Austria’s security services.
The expulsions appear to be connected to an internal warning issued by the Defence Ministry in mid August. Austrian soldiers and militia members were told by email to avoid contact with suspected Russian agents and to report any approaches. The message included a list of 21 people, complete with names and photographs.
The list drew on material published by Proekt, a Russian exile media outlet, following a data leak. Yet Austrian authorities had reportedly been watching several of the individuals for some time. After the Defence Ministry asked for information, tips began to arrive. According to the magazine profil, the evidence gradually accumulated until three people from the list could be expelled. The fourth was the Russian diplomat accredited to the OSCE.
profil also reported that the decision had been delayed by differences between the Defence and Foreign Ministries over whether the material was strong enough to justify expulsion. In Vienna, a city crowded with embassies and international organisations, authorities needed evidence that could withstand legal and diplomatic scrutiny.
Russia has said it will respond to Austria’s decision.
