A Greek citizen whose father is a former employee of the Russian General Staff and former diplomat has reportedly been arrested in Vienna. The unnamed man is suspected of spying for Russia and faces up to five years in prison if convicted, Deutsche Welle reported Monday.
According to local media, the suspect stands accused of transmitting information about public sentiment, the overall social situation, foreign policy, and the security situation in Austria. He reportedly completed 65 international trips between 2018 and 2022, including to Russia, Belarus, Turkey, and Georgia, and last traveled to Moscow on the day before the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Kurier reported that in late March 2022, Austrian authorities raided the man’s apartment and found a device for tracking listening devices, hidden cameras, and a hazmat suit. They also reportedly confiscated multiple telephones, laptops, and tablets that contained a total of about 10 million files.
The suspect is now free and will remain so until his arraignment hearing, according to local news outlets.
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