William Molinié / Photo credit: BERTRAND GUAY / AFP 09:14 am, April 17, 2023

While there were 300 before the invasion of Ukraine to benefit from diplomatic immunity on French territory, the Russian nationals benefiting from this protection for their consular activity are now only about 80. In a three-part investigation, Europe 1 reveals how the France spotted Russian diplomats suspected of being Kremlin agents.

Is the France a nest for Moscow's agents? A year ago, just after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the France expelled 41 Russian diplomats, suspected of carrying out intelligence activities on French territory. Rarely, this operation had been made public by the Quai d'Orsay. In one year, the number of Russian diplomats present in France has been divided by four.

Expulsion from the territory, refusal to renew visa...

Today, only 80 of them enjoy diplomatic immunity. Just before the invasion of Ukraine, the France granted this protection to about 300 Russian nationals. Heads of mission stationed in Paris, their families and related staff, all protected by this precious sesame. No search, no search, no control over their bank account or correspondence.

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Several of them, suspected by French intelligence of being spies under diplomatic cover, were secretly expelled from the territory, sometimes unmasked in France by the counter-interference services. Others have simply been denied visa renewals. "We tightened the screw, but we could go even further," said an intelligence source.

Agents transferred to African countries

According to information from Europe 1, the executive is considering further reducing Russian representation in France, with a goal of sixty diplomatic passports authorized on the territory. Some expelled consular officers were then transferred to African countries, including the Central African Republic, the Russian laboratory of the French destabilization operation in the region.

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Proof, if another one were needed for French intelligence, that behind these Russian emissaries hide many Kremlin spies.