In April 2022, Luxembourg expelled an employee of the Russian embassy in the Grand Duchy. The latter was now “persona non grata” and had to leave Luxembourg within 15 days. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs then indicated in a press release that the collaborator was “in contradiction with the security interests of Luxembourg”.
The Grand Duchy was not the only country concerned. The expulsion was a direct response to war crimes committed in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Around 460 Ukrainian civilians are believed to have been killed there by Russian soldiers. At the time, just two months after Russia’s invasion began in 2022, other EU countries expelled Russian diplomats. There would have been around 200 at the time.
Among these diplomats were also Russian secret service agents. Two years later, the international press announced that European countries had expelled nearly 500 Russian spies. No longer able to call on these spies, Russia would increasingly resort to illegal spies who are not accredited as diplomats. Overall, Russian espionage acts have reportedly become more aggressive over time. Acts of sabotage by Russian spies are therefore on the increase.
Russian espionage has intensified
This has not escaped Luxembourg either. In a parliamentary question from CSV MP Octavie Modert, she mentions a planned attack at Leipzig airport in Germany. A package caught fire there and a fire then broke out in the DHL logistics center. The secret services suspected Russian sabotage behind this action.
The MP asked the Prime Minister, Luc Frieden (CSV), and his Deputy Prime Minister, also in charge of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel (DP), if there had also been acts of sabotage in Luxembourg.
DHL, one of the world’s largest freight service providers, is also active in Luxembourg. In 2023, around 1.4 million tonnes of air cargo were handled at Leipzig Airport. In Luxembourg, this figure stood at 969,000 tonnes. © PHOTO: DPA
“In the context of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the activities of the Russian secret services have intensified in the member countries of the European Union,” the government confirms in its response. Comparable cases, such as the sabotage of Leipzig airport, “are not known in Luxembourg”, he nevertheless continues.
In the context of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the activities of Russian secret services have intensified in EU member countries.
To combat Russian espionage, local intelligence services would remain on the lookout and be in contact with relevant public and private actors, “with the aim of increasing national resilience against espionage activities.”
Espionage and the hybrid threat are in any case regularly the subject of discussions at EU and NATO level. The Luxembourg secret services are in permanent exchange with partner services as part of their international cooperation, confirm ministers Luc Frieden and Xavier Bettel.
This article was originally published on the website of Luxembourg word.
Adaptation: Simon Martin
