Media: 20% of all Russian spies in Europe operate in Switzerland

About 80 Russian spies live in Switzerland — thatʼs one fifth of all who operate in Europe.

The NZZ newspaper writes about this with reference to an intelligence report.

The largest number of Russian spies are in Geneva and Bern, a senior official of the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service (NDB) told members of the National Councilʼs Foreign Policy Commission.

While most of the countries of the European Union expel employees of Russian embassies who turn out to be spies, Switzerland maintains neutrality.

"The Federal Council does not introduce any sanctions in the form of expelling diplomats," the spokesman of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the newspaper, adding that the country maintains communication channels with Russia in this way.

However, when Switzerland does expel diplomats, it does so publicly and for reasons of internal security.

• Germany accused two Russian spies of treason. One of them worked for the Federal Intelligence Service.
• In September, Denmark reduced the staff of the Russian embassy in Copenhagen. The countryʼs Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote that Copenhagen and Moscow were negotiating to issue visas to Danish embassy employees, but the Russian side regularly tried to obtain visas for officers of the Russian special services.
• The government of Moldova has decided to reduce the number of diplomats in the Russian embassy amid an investigation into the fact that Russian intelligence is monitoring the Moldovan government through the embassyʼs antennae.
• In July , Finland closed the Russian Consulate General in the city of Turku.