The European Union to curb the travel of Russian diplomats as suspected spy attacks

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European Union governments have agreed to reduce the travel of Russian diplomats inside the bloc, in response to an increase in sabotage attempts that intelligence agencies often driven by spies that operate under a diplomatic cover.

The intelligence agents blaming Moscow have been blamed for the escalation of provocations against NATO countries-from Burn And electronic attacks on sabotage of infrastructure and Done -aircraft penetration -While the European Union security services are called a coordinated campaign to destabilize the European Kiev allies.

The proposed rules will force Russian diplomats published in the capitals of the European Union to inform other governments of their travel plans before crossing beyond the borders of their host country.

This initiative, which is defended by the Czech Republic, is part of a new set of sanctions that Brussels has set in response to Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine. The package requires adopting unanimous support. Two people who were informed in the negotiations said that Hungary, the last country to oppose this measure, has dropped the veto.

However, legal adoption can be delayed through a dispute over Austria’s attempt to include another procedure Lift the sanctions on the assets associated with the Russian few Oleg DeripaskaIn order to compensate for the bank Raiffeisen for the damage it had to pay in Russia.

The officials said that the ambassadors of at least ten other capitals said last week that they were unable to support the package if the proposal of Austria was included. More talks will take place on Wednesday.

The European Union’s intelligence agencies say that the Russian spies, who are pretending as diplomats, are running assets or operations often outside the host countries, in order to get rid of anti -cycle monitoring.

“They were published in one place – but they are working elsewhere,” said a senior European Union diplomat, citing intelligence reports. “Intelligence services in the host country know what to reach, but if they cross the borders, it may be difficult for this country to preserve the signs of the tab.”

In particular, the Czech government has been pressuring restrictions since May last year. Prague prevented a number of Russian diplomats suspected of assisting intelligence activities. However, hundreds are still accredited to neighboring Austria and from there they can legally cross the border to the Czech Republic.

Jean -Leipvski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Prague, said the restrictions necessary to reciprocate the reciprocity.

He told FT: “There is no” Schengen to Russia “, so it does not make sense that the Russian diplomat accredited in Spain can come to Prague whenever I love. We must apply strict recitation to the issuance of short diplomatic visas as part of the Vienna Conference. “

In 2014, the Czech Republic suffered from one of the worst attacks by Russia’s sabotage on the soil of the European Union when the explosions were killed in the ammunition depot in VRBěTice two people. Prague attributed the attack to agents from the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency GRU.

Additional reports by Rafael Minand in Warsaw