Germany considers expelling Russian intelligence workers – Politics

According to information from the Federal Government, the Federal Government is considering Süddeutsche Zeitungto expel a “significantly high number” of Russian diplomats from Germany who are suspected of working in the secret service. The Political Director of the Federal Foreign Office, Tjorven Bellmann, spoke at a conference with her colleagues from the G-7 countries earlier this week about a “decision package” that could also include the withdrawal of accreditations from Russian embassy employees.

The Federal Foreign Office said that the Federal Government is coordinating closely with its partners on further reactions to the Russian attack on Ukraine. All options remained on the table. “It would not be appropriate for us to announce measures in advance.” According to SZ information, Germany could expel a similar number of employees from Russian representations in the country as Belgium and the Netherlands recently did, i.e. around 20. Various options are still being discussed in the federal government.

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The decision would have to be made by agreement between the Chancellery, the Foreign Office and the Ministry of the Interior, but this has not yet been possible. There is disagreement in the federal government about the sense of such expulsions. Although it is known in secret service circles that Russia maintains a large number of unofficial secret service employees in Berlin, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution see themselves in a position to monitor the employees. In the past few weeks, they have behaved inconspicuously, according to secret service circles.

The BND, which is subordinate to the Chancellery as an authority, expects that an expulsion will trigger corresponding countermeasures by the Russian side – which would significantly reduce the number of German diplomats in Russia. Like everywhere else in the world, the BND maintains an official residence in the embassy in Moscow, albeit with only two employees. It can be assumed that these employees would be affected by Russian retaliatory measures.

Hundreds of Russian secret service employees have been granted diplomatic immunity and are accredited as normal embassy employees active in Europe. According to estimates by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Russian espionage activities had already reached the level of the Cold War era again last year.

This week, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland and the Czech Republic expelled a total of 43 Russian diplomats. They were involved in secret service activities and activities to manipulate public opinion, it was said as a reason. The US and UK have increased their pressure on the federal government to make a decision as well. Both countries have already faced large waves of deportations and only have a few personnel left in Russia. Belgium expelled 21 Russian employees from the embassy in Brussels and the consulate in Antwerp on Tuesday. On the same day, the Netherlands showed 17 diplomats the door, four delegates from Ireland and one Russian from the Czech Republic were asked to leave the country.

Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin had complained that a coordinated expulsion among all 27 EU members was not possible. Such a step has also been discussed in the federal government for a long time, but in Berlin they wanted to create the greatest possible unity in the EU and, if possible, act in concert. Poland, Bulgaria, the Baltic states and Slovakia had already declared dozens of Russian diplomats undesirable a week ago, and Poland alone withdrew the accreditation of 45 Russian diplomats. In addition, a preliminary investigation into possible espionage was opened against a Polish administrative employee.

The Russian government usually reacts within two weeks by expelling diplomats from Moscow. The Netherlands and Belgium would then keep their embassies in Russia open with a minimum staffing of up to two employees if they were expelled in reverse. Many foreign diplomatic missions in Russia have already prepared for expulsion or for war-related deportation, have started sending household goods back to the EU and have drawn up evacuation plans. The German Ambassador in Moscow, Géza von Geyr, was in Berlin this week for consultations. Apparently Moscow is counting on being expelled from Germany; Embassy employees are at least preparing for a possible departure. In addition to the embassy in Berlin, Russia has consulates in Bonn, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Leipzig.

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