At least one in six Russian diplomats accredited in Austria has ties to Russian intelligence, according to data from the RuPEP database.
Out of 117 Russian diplomats in Austria, at least 21 are linked or potentially linked to the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the Main Directorate of the General Staff (GRU), or the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Russian Embassy in Vienna: Of 48 accredited staff, at least eight have intelligence ties—three each to the SVR and GRU, one to the FSB, and one potentially linked to both SVR and GRU.
Permanent Mission to OSCE: Seven of 22 staff members have intelligence connections.
Missions to international organisations (UN, IAEA, OPCW): Five more individuals identified among 47 representatives.
Austrian intelligence estimates the total Russian diplomatic presence in Vienna at around 500 people, with up to one-third believed to be engaged in espionage under diplomatic cover. Austria’s neutral status and the high concentration of international institutions have made Vienna a traditional hub for intelligence activity since the Cold War.
In May 2026, Vienna expelled three Russian diplomats over espionage involving a large-scale antenna complex installed on the rooftops of diplomatic buildings to intercept data and satellite communications. Since 2020, Austria has declared 14 Russian diplomats persona non grata. The country’s counterintelligence continues to monitor Russian signals intelligence operations and shares data with European partners.