Switzerland Says It's a 'Hotbed' for Russian, Chinese Spies

story
Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

  • Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Switzerland has become a hub of espionage, according to the country's intelligence agency, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS), which suspects that at least one-third of the 220 Russian officials accredited in the Alpine nation are spies.

  • The FIS' annual report claims Switzerland's membership in the UN Security Council has led to an increased threat from Russia and China and warns that international peacekeeping organizations have declined.

Show more

The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

In connection to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe has dealt a most significant strategic blow to Russia's spy network all across the continent. Coordinated expulsions of Russian diplomats saw 400 spies evicted last year, crippling Russia's espionage capabilities. As it sets its sights on Switzerland, these same tactics must be employed to extinguish Moscow's threat in Bern.

SUNDRIES

Pro-Russia narrative

These allegations are a stark example of Western hypocrisy, which routinely projects its own crimes onto others. The US, for example, has never given up trying to spy on Russia, as evidenced by the recently leaked Pentagon documents. Luckily, the Russian special services and counter-intelligence units know what they are doing and are working to prevent these activities.

Zawya

Cynical narrative

Whether they admit it or not, all countries engage in espionage, and most, if not all, send spies disguised as diplomats. And when one country expels another country's representatives, it's both expected and accepted to take reciprocal steps. That means the more Russian representatives are banned from the West, the more of its own diplomats are likely to be forced out of Russia. That's the name of the game.

The Nation

Articles on this story