Russian agents become more active in Europe. Switzerland named their goal
Swiss intelligence warned of a threat from Russia (photo: Getty Images)
Swiss intelligence has recorded the intensification of Russian agents in Europe. Switzerland serves as the main coordination center for Russian intelligence operations.
The recent scandal with the conversation of German officers overheard by the Russians was the best proof that Russia has once again stepped up its intelligence activities in Europe. This was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service, Sonja Margelist.
However, while many European countries expelled a large number of Russian spy diplomats, Switzerland refrained from doing so. At the same time, according to the intelligence service, countering Russian agents remains one of the main areas of work of the Swiss special services.
According to the former head of the Swiss intelligence service, Peter Regli, Russia's intensified intelligence activities in Europe are part of a hybrid threat.
"Putin's goal is to destabilize Western Europe. This requires comprehensive information gathering," he emphasized.
Wiretapping German officers
Recently, the Russians published an interception of a conversation between German officers regarding the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine. The German Ministry of Defense confirmed the interception but checked the authenticity of the recording published by the Russians.
After that, Agnieszka Bruegger, vice-chair of the Green parliamentary group, accused Russia and dictator Vladimir Putin of trying to destabilize the situation in Germany.
Commenting on the scandal, Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, said that Germany is full of Russian spies and that Ukraine had warned it about this.
Read more about the scandal in RBC-Ukraine's article.
