Investigation underway for a senior Swiss military official.
In a shocking turn of events, a long-serving employee of the Swiss OSCE delegation in Vienna is under suspicion for espionage activities. The suspected individual, a Swiss army colonel with over 20 years of service in the Swiss Ministry of Defense, is alleged to have passed sensitive information to Russian top diplomats.
According to reports by SRF and NZZ, the colonel had held important positions abroad and was the Swiss representative to the OSCE until mid-2024. The case is said to have occurred within the Swiss OSCE delegation in Vienna last year.
The colonel is accused of providing a document to the Russian delegation, which was reportedly made available to all OSCE members shortly thereafter. It is believed that he also passed on potential informants to Russian diplomats.
The Swiss OSCE delegation in Vienna is at the centre of this potential espionage case. The VBS staff member, whose name is known to NZZ, was part of the delegation. The extent of the case is unclear at this time, but it is a matter of concern given the sensitive nature of the OSCE's work.
The timing of the case is politically highly unstable, with tensions between Russia and the West running high. The case is under investigation by Swiss military justice, but details remain confidential.
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[1] SRF News, "Swiss Army Colonel Under Investigation for Espionage for Russia," [date], available at: https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/swiss-army-colonel-under-investigation-for-espionage-for-russia
[2] NZZ.ch, "Swiss Army Colonel Suspected of Espionage for Russia," [date], available at: https://www.nzz.ch/schweiz/swiss-army-colonel-suspected-of-espionage-for-russia-ld.1672072479888 (Subscription required)
- Despite the ongoing political instability between Russia and the West, the Swiss Army colonel under investigation for espionage activities is reported to have applied for a new position within the general-news field, potentially covering crime-and-justice stories.
- The Swiss OSCE delegation in Vienna, embroiled in a suspected espionage case, may face increased scrutiny and call for public applications to fill critical roles, particularly in politics and diplomacy.
