The facilityExternal link analyses chemical and biological weapons, including the nerve agent Novichok, which Britain says Russia used to try to murder a former spy in March, and suspected poison gas deployed in Syria.
Although the laboratory was previously secure and fulfilled the requirements for at-risk targets, protection had been increased, defence ministry spokesman Renato Kalbermatten told Swiss public radio, SRF, on Friday.
In March 2017, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened an investigation against two alleged Russian spies suspected of having carried out a cyberattack against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whose European headquarters is in Lausanne.
In spring 2018, the same two Russian spies were reportedly on their way to the Spiez laboratory when they were detained in the Netherlands and sent back to Russia. Russia has dismissed the allegations.
“After what happened [earlier in the year], additional measures have been taken to consolidate the level of security,” Kalbermatten said. Protection of the IT systems had been strengthened and structural and surveillance measures had been implemented concerning visitor access, he explained.
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Russian spying has ‘calmed down’, says Swiss foreign minister
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Switzerland has ‘no evidence’ of Russian espionage
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Defence Minister Guy Parmelin warns that Russian spy activity against sensitive infrastructure in Switzerland has reached intolerable levels.
Russian agents ‘tried to spy on Swiss chemicals lab’
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Media report: two Russian agents suspected of trying to spy on a Swiss laboratory were arrested in the Netherlands and expelled early this year.
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