On Friday (October 23), the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that four Russian diplomats stationed in Vienna have been ordered to leave the country on accusations of engaging in “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status” (usually referring to espionage activities) and have been declared persona non grata.
According to a statement from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on the latest investigation results from Austrian security agencies, these four individuals have been ordered to depart. Three of them were serving at the Russian Embassy in Austria, while one was part of the Russian delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) focusing on military security and arms control.
An anonymous Austrian official disclosed to the Associated Press that the expulsion was related to espionage activities, and the diplomats have been instructed to leave within the next few days.
In response to Austria’s decision, Russia promptly issued a strong response. Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Dmitry Lyubinsky, in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS, mentioned that a response was inevitable. The Russian Embassy in Austria also released a statement on its official website, accusing the Viennese authorities of blindly following Western anti-Russia policies and labeling the action as “another unfriendly gesture” from Austria towards Russia.
Vienna, as a political hub with headquarters of various international organizations such as the OSCE, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has long been considered a nest for intelligence operatives due to its lenient spy-related regulations and numerous personnel with diplomatic immunity since the post-World War II occupation by Allied forces.
This recent expulsion brings the total number of Russian diplomats expelled by Austria since 2020 to 18. The last expulsion occurred in February 2025 when Austria expelled a member of the Russian Embassy. According to reports from the Austrian Public Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) at that time, Russians were suspected of installing a “forest of antennas” on the roof of a diplomatic building to intercept data transmitted via satellite internet by international organizations.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Moscow in 2022, many European countries have been mutually expelling diplomatic personnel with Russia. Despite being a member of the European Union and adhering to a policy of military neutrality by not providing military equipment to Ukraine, Austria has consistently supported Ukraine politically and provided humanitarian aid. The Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and leader of the liberal party “New Austria and Liberal Forum” (NEOS), Beate Meinl-Reisinger, has advocated for a tougher stance against Russian espionage activities.
The Austrian government is currently actively working on amending existing espionage laws, planning to expand the scope of punishment from solely protecting “Austrian national interests” to encompassing “international organizations” stationed in Austria.