> The Russian Embassy in Vienna did not respond to a request for comment. In a post on Telegram on Monday, it wrote that it had taken note of Austria's “outrageous” decision concerning its employees.
Isn't Russia trying to ban Telegram, why are they also issuing statements on there?
Anyway, they really tried the Lethal Weapon 2 villain tactic of using diplomatic immunity to justify spying, what a bunch of goofs.
45
DonnyTheWalrusMay 4, 2026
+11
Diplomatic cover has been a primary way it's done since the start of the cold war at a minimum, on both sides.
11
Lirael_Gold6 days ago
+3
Correct, diplomatic "staff" are "expelled" all the time (although normally rather than outright expelling them, their diplomatic visas are simply not reissued, which is much more boring than saying "EXPELLED") it just rarely makes the news in the west unless it's russia/china related.
The US Embassy in China (and the Chinese Embassy in the US) probably have a rota system checklist in the lobby.
3
AbramorMay 4, 2026
+4
Russia also issues fines for breaking law on platforms they have already banned inside country (like Instagram, Twitter, etc). Who tracks what everyone does on those platforms if they are already blocked? Good question
4
AudibleNodMay 4, 2026
+21
I'm not surprised. I read this article from a few years back:
[Vienna, nest of spies: Why Austria is still centre for espionage](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46228163)
21
username_redactedMay 4, 2026
+18
One of the UN hubs, housing the International Atomic Energy Agency. Also OPEC’s headquarters.
My mom is from there and worked at the IEAE in her 20s. She recently casually mentioned that a co-worker from Iran that she briefly dated had been arrested for espionage (this would have been the late 60s or early 70s.)
18
smurf-vettMay 4, 2026
+62
You had to do something really bad for Austria to boot you out. Spying is defacto legal there as long as it's not directed at Austria
62
mschuster916 days ago
+4
I mean... screw Russia, obviously, but have you looked at *any* major embassy's roof? Anywhere?
The Americans definitely have SIGINT gear [on their embassy in Berlin](https://www.alamy.com/view-of-the-building-of-the-american-embassy-in-berlin-on-24102018-on-the-roof-of-the-us-embassy-are-antennas-and-rooms-from-which-the-special-collection-service-has-been-listening-in-on-the-berlin-government-district-automated-translation-image348630430.html), so do the [Chinese](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shortwave_Berlin.jpg). Officially, it's for communications with the homeland. Inofficially, I think everyone is aware that everyone is collecting data from the airwaves, and it's pretty much impossible to prove or disprove active communications, not without a bunch of RDF gear, precise clocks and a ton of work. And passive snooping can't be detected at all, if you're willing to accept a higher noise floor and lower signal quality and strength literally anything can be a RX antenna.
If I were to guess, that's just a pretext and the three Russians got expelled for another reason.
4
sdwvit6 days ago
+1
Only 3? I am very surprised, but also disappointed. Austria, those are rookie numbers.
1
Ok-Appointment-98026 days ago
+1
Merely a symbolic act, considering that one third of Russia's around 500 "diplomats" in Vienna are assumed to be spies.
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