Switzerland’s main intelligence agency, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS), said the country has become a hotbed for Russian spies following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In its annual report, the FIS stated that at least a third of the 220 officials Russia has accredited in the country are suspected of being spies.
Findings
The report noted that, while Russian espionage elsewhere in Europe and in North America had been weakened due to expulsions, Russian agents continued to operate in Bern and at Russia’s mission to the UN in Geneva.
“In Europe, Switzerland is one of the states with the highest numbers of Russian intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover, in part due to its role as a host to international organisations,” the Monday report said.
Geneva hosts several UN agencies and international organisations and hundreds of key diplomats are posted in the city, or regularly gather there for meetings, which makes it a spy hotspot.
Swiss intelligence says country a hub for Russian spies
— Nino Brodin (@Orgetorix) June 27, 2023
Looking away from the Wagner episode for a moment, Switzerland’s intelligence agency warns that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made Switzerland a hub for Russian espionage.
Christian Dussey, head of the Federal…
According to the Swiss secret service, the Ukraine War had forced Russia to expand its monitoring activities to areas that had previously received little attention, such as Turkey and India, as Russia has been using companies in such these countries for procurement.
Chinese Espionage
The agency said that although China is also believed to host dozens of spies at its diplomatic missions in the European nation, its number is significantly lower than Russia’s.
FIS chief Christian Dussey said he expected China’s intelligence network to strengthen in Europe, supported by its growing resources.
The FIS also said that Chinese agents relied more on non-diplomatic cover and are mainly disguised as officially as scientists, journalists or business executives.
Decline of Global Stability
Accusing Russia of destroying “the rules-based order for peace in Europe,” the Swiss agency claimed that “the effectiveness of international forums for maintaining peace and security, such as the UN or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, has continued to decline” and that “there are no signs of a stable new world order.”
“We are doing the maximum, on the ground, to show the lines” not to be crossed, Dussey told a press conference, adding that such espionage operations negatively impacted Geneva’s international importance and were detrimental to Switzerland’s credibility.
Chinese Reaction
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ninig responded to the report on Tuesday, saying that it was, in fact, China, who is “a victim of spy operations.”
“We are always firmly opposed to espionage activities. We hope relevant parties will stop smearing China with groundless accusations,” she stressed.