Austrian officer spied for Russians

vienna - The Austrian authorities suspect a former army officer of having spied for Russia for decades. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz asked Moscow for clarification, reports Austrian media.

The lieutenant colonel, who is now retired, would have received around € 300,000 for confidential information. The first contact with the Russians was already laid in 1988, according to the newspaper Kronen Zeitung. The Austrian authorities tracked the alleged spy after a tip from a foreign service.

A planned trip from Minister Karin Kneissl (Foreign Affairs) to Moscow was canceled because of the affair. It should actually have taken place in early December.