Austria has raised concerns about suspected Russian espionage activities after last week expelling three Russian diplomats accused of using diplomatic immunity for intelligence operations in Vienna, Euronews reported.
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said the country was taking a tougher approach to espionage and specifically cited what she called the "antenna forest" at Russian diplomatic buildings in the capital.
According to researchers, investigative journalists and former intelligence officials, several Russian diplomatic facilities in Vienna are equipped with large antenna systems and satellite dishes that can be used to intercept communications.
An investigation published by the Financial Times reported that some of these antennas move and reposition frequently, which experts consider unusual for systems used only for diplomatic communications.
According to him, a Russian diplomatic building in Vienna's 22nd district appears to function as a "pure signals intelligence station," while one of the antennas regularly changes direction, raising suspicions that it is used to search for and intercept certain communication channels.
Experts have also identified unusual structures on the roof, built of lightweight materials such as wood and plastic, which resemble radomes — special enclosures that hide the direction and function of antennas.
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Former French intelligence agent Claude Moniquet said such antennas could be used to intercept radio waves, satellite communications and collect mobile phone data.
It is considered that such devices usually have two functions: communication with Moscow and espionage activities in the host country.
Similar suspicions have been raised previously against the US and British embassies in Europe, while Vienna continues to be considered one of the main centers of international espionage due to the presence of major international organizations such as the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the OSCE.
