Austria expels four Russian diplomats over alleged espionage activities

Austria has taken steps to remove four Russian diplomatic representatives following accusations of espionage-related conduct. Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the government would adopt a stricter stance toward Russian intelligence operations, and the foreign ministry confirmed the expulsions based on findings from Austrian security authorities. Three diplomats attached to the Russian embassy were reported to have performed tasks incompatible with their diplomatic status, while a fourth individual, part of Russia's delegation for military security and arms control at the OSCE, was also deemed to have exceeded the limits of his appointment. All four were designated as persona non grata under Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and instructed to exit Austrian territory.