Austrian intelligence services have exposed an employee of the energy concern OMV who was transmitting confidential information to a Russian diplomat. This was reported by Profil, writes UNN.
A long-time OMV employee turned out to be a Russian "mole" who, with the help of a Russian embassy employee, undermined the activities of a critical infrastructure enterprise. The latter will likely be expelled from the country.
It is noted that the Austrian State Security and Intelligence Directorate (DSN) conducted months of surveillance on the OMV employee, becoming interested in his frequent meetings with an employee of the Russian embassy in Vienna, who was already listed by several Western intelligence services as a probable FSB agent.
The OMV employee suspected of espionage had access to the company's strategic projects, including plans to abandon Russian gas and a multi-billion dollar deal with the oil giant Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). "The alleged spy had significant knowledge: he constantly traveled between Abu Dhabi and Austria, and in Vienna he met with his 'friend' from the embassy, reporting in detail on affairs," the article says.
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During a search of his residence, a large volume of internal and classified documents related to the activities of OMV and its partners in the United Arab Emirates were seized. The materials are currently being analyzed by the investigation.
According to Profil, the suspect is a native of Eastern Europe who obtained Austrian citizenship.
OMV confirmed the employee's dismissal and stated full cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs appealed to Russia with a demand to lift the diplomatic immunity of the embassy employee suspected of espionage so that he could face Austrian justice.
"Russia, as expected, did not react in any way and is unlikely to do so within the allotted time. Then, according to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the diplomat automatically becomes persona non grata and must immediately leave the country," the article says.
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