EU countries agree to restrict travel for Russian diplomats amid surge in potential spy attacks - FT
Kyiv • UNN
EU governments have agreed to restrict travel for Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage, often led by spies operating under diplomatic cover. This is part of a new package of sanctions being developed by Brussels, which requires unanimous support.
EU governments have agreed to restrict the travel of Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage attempts, which intelligence services say are often led by spies under diplomatic cover, the Financial Times reports, writes UNN.
Details
"Moscow-sponsored intelligence agents are accused of escalating provocations against NATO states – from arson and cyberattacks to infrastructure sabotage and drone incursions – as part of what EU security services call a coordinated campaign to destabilise Kyiv’s European allies," the publication states.
The proposed rules would reportedly require Russian diplomats working in EU capitals to inform other governments of their travel plans before crossing the border of their host country.
This initiative, promoted by the Czech Republic, is part of a new package of sanctions being developed by Brussels in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Unanimous support is required for the package of measures to be adopted.
"Hungary, the last country to oppose the measure, has lifted its veto, two sources familiar with the negotiations said."
However, as noted, the decision may be delayed due to a dispute over Austria's request to include another measure that would lift sanctions on assets linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to compensate Raiffeisen Bank for losses it incurred in Russia.
Ambassadors from at least a dozen other bloc countries said last week they could not support the package of measures if Austria's proposal was included, officials said. Further talks will take place on Wednesday, the publication writes.
EU intelligence services report that Russian spies, posing as diplomats, often manage assets or operations outside their host countries to better evade counterintelligence surveillance.
"They are assigned to one place but work in another," a senior EU diplomat said, citing intelligence reports. "The host country's intelligence services know what they are doing, but if they cross the border, it becomes more difficult for that country to monitor them."
The Czech government has been lobbying for restrictions since May last year. Prague has banned the entry of a number of Russian diplomats suspected of facilitating intelligence activities. However, hundreds of people are still accredited in neighboring Austria, and from there they can legally cross the border into the Czech Republic.
Czech Republic bans entry for Russian diplomats without accreditation30.09.25, 15:33 • 2853 views
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said that restrictions are needed to restore reciprocity.
"There is no 'Schengen for Russia', so there is no point in a Russian diplomat accredited in Spain being able to come to Prague whenever he wants," he told the FT. "We must strictly adhere to the principle of reciprocity when issuing short-term diplomatic visas in accordance with the Vienna Convention."
Addition
In 2014, the Czech Republic suffered, as the publication says, one of Russia's largest acts of sabotage on EU territory, when two people died in explosions at an ammunition depot in Vrbětice. Prague attributed the attack to Russian GRU agents.