Norway discovered that 15 diplomats from the Russian embassy are undercover spies. They are expelled from the country

Norway declared 15 diplomats who worked at the Russian embassy in Oslo to be persons non grata. They turned out to be undercover spies and should leave the country soon.

This was reported in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.

"The 15 intelligence officers engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status," Foreign Minister Anniken Guitfeldt said.

The activities of these people were monitored for a long time. From now on, Russian intelligence officers who wish to come to Norway will not be issued visas.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway also noted that several European countries have recently reduced the number of Russian spies working under diplomatic cover and tightened the rules for issuing visas to Russian spies.

"I want to emphasize that Norway seeks to maintain normal diplomatic relations with Russia and that Russian diplomats are welcome in Norway. The actions we have taken today are aimed at reducing unwanted intelligence activities. We want Russia to continue to have an active diplomatic mission in Norway, but we will not accept that diplomatic missions are misused to conduct covert intelligence activities,” said Guitfeldt.

• In total, EU countries expelled about 400 Russian diplomats on espionage charges last year. In particular, the German Federal Prosecutorʼs Office arrested an employee of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) on suspicion of espionage for Russia, and in Austria the son of a former Russian diplomat was detained on the same suspicion. Sweden has convicted two brothers of spying for Russia for about ten years, from 2011 to 2021.