Russia poses the biggest espionage threat in Switzerland
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In addition to cyber espionage, a significant proportion of information gathering in Switzerland is carried out using human sources, claims Swiss intelligence.
“The greatest current threat from espionage comes from Russian intelligence services,” Federal Intelligence Services (FIS) spokeswoman Sonja Margelist told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
Following the wiretapping affair in Germany and media reports of increased espionage activities by Russia in Europe, the FIS is reacting and stepping up its warnings. In addition to online espionage, a significant proportion of information gathering in Switzerland is carried out using human sources, the spokeswoman added.
“The Russian diplomatic representations in particular are used for these activities,” said Margelist. Although the number of Russian diplomats accredited to Switzerland has remained stable since the start of the war in Ukraine – 218 according to the foreign ministry – the FIS situation report estimates that at least a third of these employees are working for the Russian intelligence services.
According to the Financial Times, covert Russian agents are now mainly operating from the neutral countries of Switzerland and Austria. Almost a third of Russia’s European missions are now controlled from Geneva and Vienna.
Boris Bondarev, a former Russian diplomat, confirms this: “Geneva is one of the most important hubs for Russian secret services,” he told SonntagsZeitung . He added that many spies are sent to Switzerland.
Adapted from German by DeepL/ac
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