Austria expels 3 Russian diplomats over signals spying

Austria has expelled three Russian diplomats accused of using diplomatic immunity for espionage, specifically for intercepting satellite communications from a residential complex in Vienna. The expulsions bring the total number of Russian diplomats expelled by Austria since 2020 to 14. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger stated that using diplomatic immunity for espionage is unacceptable, confirming the diplomats have already left the country. The Austrian domestic intelligence service, the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence, had long warned that satellite dishes on Russian diplomatic buildings could intercept other states' communications. Sylvia Mayer, head of the intelligence agency, noted the threat related to the size and nature of the installations but did not comment on the timing. The Russian embassy in Vienna did not immediately respond, but Russian news agency RIA quoted it as saying Moscow would react harshly. The expulsions were first reported by ORF, which described the three as embassy employees, and the foreign ministry confirmed the report without specifics.