{
  "id": 16218871,
  "title": "Austria to expel four Russian diplomats on suspicion of espionage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/austria-to-expel-four-russian-diplomats-on-suspicion-of-espionage",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-23T18:32:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Insider",
    "slug": "the-insider",
    "url": "https://theins.press/en/news/298675"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Austrian government has decided to expel four Russian diplomats following suspicions of espionage. The diplomatic staff, whose identities have not been made public, are accused of engaging in espionage activities. Three individuals were previously employed at the Russian embassy in Vienna, while the fourth had ties to Russia's mission at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the capital city. According to data from the RuPEP database, 20 out of 117 Russian diplomatic personnel in Austria are believed to have connections to Moscow's intelligence services, including the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), and the Federal Security Service (FSB). Among the 22 employees at the OSCE mission, seven have indications of probable links to the intelligence agencies. The Austrian authorities have not yet made a final decision, as they require more detailed and legally robust evidence to justify the expulsion. Vienna is considered a crucial hub for Russian intelligence operations in Europe. In May 2026, Austria had previously expelled three Russian diplomats, alleging they were gathering intelligence. The names of those diplomats were not disclosed. According to RuPEP data, one diplomat in six from Austria may be associated with intelligence agencies. Investigations revealed a former Austrian intelligence officer, Egisto Ott, was found guilty of espionage after The Insider's investigation. Additionally, Austria expelled three Russian diplomats in May 2026, accusing them of intelligence gathering. The identities of these individuals were also kept confidential.",
  "summary": "Four Russian diplomats who worked in Austria have been declared personae non gratae and ordered to leave the country, the local outlets Profil and Heute report. The diplomats, whose names have not been disclosed, are suspected of espionage. Three of them are known to have worked at the Russian embassy in Vienna, and the fourth worked at Russia’s mission to the Organization for Security and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Meduza (English)",
        "title": "For weeks, deepfake celebrities have been telling Americans not to vote for Democrats in the midterm elections. U.S. intelligence says Russia is behind it.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/for-weeks-deepfake-celebrities-have-been-telling-americans-not-to",
        "published": "2026-10-23T15:02:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euromaidan Press",
        "title": "40,000 tons of Russian diesel are bound for New York—due four days after Americans vote",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/40-000-tons-of-russian-diesel-are-bound-for-new-york-due-four-days",
        "published": "2026-10-23T20:54:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}