Rome expels two Russian diplomats suspected of illegal intelligence activities
Two members of the Russian embassy in Italy must leave the territory within 72 hours. They are accused of carrying out espionage activities under diplomatic cover, according to an investigation by the Rome prosecutor's office.
Rome expels two Russian diplomats suspected of illegal intelligence activities
The government of Rome has ordered the immediate expulsion of two officials from the Russian embassy, identified as Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov. The two, who enjoyed diplomatic status, must leave Italy within three days. The decision was communicated directly to the Ambassador of Moscow in Italy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Antonio Tajani, who made the news public through his X profile.
According to reports from Le Figaro, the two officers were discovered while conducting operations to gather classified information. The investigation that led to their exposure was conducted by magistrates at the Rome prosecutor's office.
The episode is part of a broader context of tensions related to national security. Just 48 hours earlier, Italian law enforcement had arrested two former operators of the national secret services, suspected of having provided classified data to Russia. Among the documents transmitted were reportedly details on Italian military aid to Ukraine.
The major Italian newspapers provided further details on the alleged activities of the two expelled Russian diplomats. La Repubblica and Il Messaggero report that at least one of them obtained, in exchange for financial compensation, material relating to the SAMP/T system — an air defence platform jointly developed by Paris and Rome that Kyiv is expected to receive shortly — and Aster missiles already delivered to Ukrainian armed forces. The same individual allegedly also sought information on NATO presence in Bulgaria and on the company Avio, specialised in the production of propulsion systems for unmanned aircraft and supersonic ordnance.
Corriere della Sera adds that one of the arrested former Italian agents allegedly revealed to the Moscow contact the names of counterintelligence colleagues tasked with monitoring the activities of Russian services on Italian soil. The defence of the investigated party rejects accusations of treason, contending that the client obtained only publicly accessible data.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto commented that what has emerged represents "only the tip of the iceberg", speaking explicitly of a "hybrid conflict" orchestrated by Russia. For its part, the Moscow Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, through the Ria Novosti agency, that it will take "appropriate measures" in response.
Source: Google News LU FR