Russia vows ‘inevitable’ retaliation over Austrian diplomat expulsions

Russia will retaliate against Austria for expelling four of its diplomats over alleged misconduct, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky has said.

The warning follows Vienna’s decision to declare four Russian diplomats personae non gratae over alleged violations of diplomatic rules, without publicly presenting evidence of wrongdoing.

“A response will follow inevitably,” Lyubinsky told TASS on Friday. He did not specify what retaliatory measures Moscow could take.

Austria announced the expulsions earlier on Friday, citing findings by its security services. Three of the diplomats were stationed at the Russian Embassy in Vienna, while the fourth worked at Moscow’s delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), dealing with military security and arms control.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry accused the four of engaging in “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status” and ordered them to leave the country. It did not identify the diplomats or provide details of the alleged violations.

The Russian Embassy rejected the accusations as “outrageous” and unfounded. Responding to Friday’s decision, the mission accused Vienna of blindly following Western anti-Russian policies and described the expulsions as another unfriendly move against Moscow.

Austrian media have sought to link the expulsions to alleged Russian espionage, although Vienna has provided no public evidence to substantiate the claims. According to the magazine Profil, the country’s Defense Ministry circulated a warning to military personnel and reservists in August about supposed Russian intelligence operatives, complete with the names and photographs of 21 individuals.

The warning reportedly prompted a wave of reports about suspicious contacts, though their nature and credibility remain unclear. Profil also claimed that disagreements between Austria’s Defense and Foreign Ministries had delayed the expulsions. None of the allegations have been publicly substantiated, and no evidence directly implicating the four Russian diplomats in espionage has been presented.

Austria has expelled 18 Russian diplomats since 2020. Despite its longstanding military neutrality, Vienna has joined EU sanctions against Moscow and provided political and financial assistance to Ukraine.

Moscow has previously responded to Austrian expulsions with reciprocal measures. In September 2025, Russia declared an Austrian diplomat persona non grata after Vienna expelled a Russian envoy over alleged espionage involving an employee of the Austrian energy company OMV. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at the time that Moscow would respond to such moves in kind.

The diplomatic standoff escalated again in May, when Austria expelled three Russian Embassy employees over allegations that antennas installed on diplomatic buildings in Vienna were being used to intercept satellite communications. The Russian Embassy dismissed the accusations as “outrageous,” “unjustified” and politically motivated, warning of a harsh response.