VIENNA — Austrian authorities stated Monday that they uncovered a Russian-steered marketing campaign aimed toward spreading disinformation about Ukraine following the detention in December of a Bulgarian lady accused of spying for Russia.
Austria’s home intelligence company unearthed proof of the operation because it analyzed units present in a search of the girl’s house, the Inside Ministry stated in a press release. It stated the investigation confirmed that a number of weeks after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a cell working for Russian intelligence was arrange and deliberate a large-scale disinformation marketing campaign in German-speaking international locations, notably Austria.
The group was lively on-line but additionally used stickers and graffiti with content material reminiscent of far-right symbols and nationalist statements meant to seem like pro-Ukrainian activists have been answerable for them, in response to the Inside Ministry.
The Bulgarian suspect, whose title wasn’t launched, is believed to have performed a big function within the effort and acted as an intelligence contact, the ministry stated, including that she has admitted working for the cell, notably in 2022.
A 12 months in the past, Austria’s greatest espionage scandal in a long time erupted with the arrest of a former Austrian intelligence officer, who was accused amongst different issues of handing over cellphone knowledge of former high-ranking Austrian officers to Russian intelligence and serving to plot a housebreaking at a outstanding journalist’s condominium.
The ex-officer, who was later launched from custody, is suspected of getting supplied delicate data to Jan Marsalek, a fugitive fellow Austrian needed on suspicion of fraud for the reason that collapse in 2020 of German payment company Wirecard, the place he was the chief working officer. The arrest warrant stated chat messages supplied by British authorities hyperlink Marsalek on to Russia’s FSB intelligence company.
