Espionage in Italy: two Russian officials expelled and an Italian officer arrested
The Russian Embassy in Rome, Italy.
AFP - TIZIANA FABI
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3 min
Following the arrest in flagrante delicto on Tuesday, March 30, of an Italian navy officer for espionage, Italy expelled two Russian officials on Wednesday.
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The Italian naval officer was arrested in flagrante delicto
while giving a Russian soldier "
classified
"
documents
in exchange for a sum of money, 5,000 euros, according to some Italian media.
The Italian officer was arrested but the Russian soldier is protected by his diplomatic status.
It is the gendarmes of a special unit who "
arrested an officer of the military navy
",
the police
confirmed in a statement.
The operation, carried out under the supervision of the Italian counter-espionage and the Defense Staff, “
targeted a frigate captain of the military navy and an officer accredited to the Embassy of the Russian Federation, both being accused of serious offenses relating to espionage and state security
, ”the police said.
Following this affair, the Italian authorities have decided to expel two Russian officials "
involved in this very serious affair,
" Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced on Wednesday.
For its part,
the Russian presidency
affirms that it “
had no information on the causes and circumstances
” of the case.
"
We hope that the positive and constructive character of Russian-Italian relations [...] will be preserved,
" added Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
"
Malicious and destabilizing
"
actions
The UK denounced
Russia's
“
malicious and destabilizing
” actions
.
London, said foreign minister Dominic Raab, is "in
solidarity
"
of Rome and "
measures taken today to expose and act against the malicious and destabilizing activities of Russia which aim to undermine our ally within NATO.
"
Ten days earlier, it was Bulgaria which announced the expulsion of two Russian diplomats after
the discovery of a suspected spy network for the benefit of Russia.
(With AFP)
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