New Delhi: The Federal Intelligence Service (FIS), Switzerland’s main intelligence agency, has said that the country is a hotbed for Russian and Chinese spies.
In its annual report, published Monday, the FIS said Switzerland has dozens of Russian spies disguised as diplomats at its embassy in the capital city of Bern and at Moscow’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva.
“Of the roughly 220 people that are accredited as diplomatic or technical-administrative personnel at the diplomatic and consular representations in Geneva and Bern, at least a third are likely still active for Russian intelligence agencies,” FIS chief Christian Dussey said in a press conference.
While a considerable number of Russian spies have been expelled from various European nations, following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Swiss capital continues to house espionage activities.
The report also said that Switzerland has one of the highest number of Russian intelligence officers in Europe, which can partly be credited to the country’s active participation in hosting events by international organisations.
The report further said that FIS has increased monitoring of nations such as India and Turkey — which were previously ignored — in the wake of the Ukraine war, since Russia has been using many companies in these countries for equipment procurement.
The annual report also highlighted the high number of Chinese spies in Switzerland. However, it noted that Chinese agents relied more on non-diplomatic covers and are mainly deployed as journalists, scientists, or business executives.
When asked about the claims made in the FIS report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told the media Tuesday that China was opposed to espionage and called the claims “groundless smears”.
The FIS’ report also said that increasing tension between world powers was affecting Switzerland’s security picture. “The effectiveness of international forums for maintaining peace and security, such as the UN or the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, has continued to decline; there are no signs of a stable new world order.”
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