Russian Foreign Ministry summons Austrian ambassador

MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Austrian Ambassador to Moscow Johannes Eigner over Vienna’s statements about a retired Austrian Army officer’s suspected involvement in espionage for Moscow, a ministry source told TASS.

“The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Austrian ambassador,” the source said.

According to information available to TASS, the ambassador will visit the ministry later in the day.

Media reports say that Austria has opened an investigation into a 70-year-old retired colonel, suspected of working for Russian intelligence agencies since the 1990s, providing Moscow with information about Austria’s air force, artillery and the migration crisis. If found guilty, the colonel may face two years in prison. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Defense Minister Mario Kunasek have confirmed the espionage investigation.