Four Ukrainians detained in Vienna on suspicion of spying

Austrian police have detained four Ukrainians in Vienna on suspicion of espionage. The arrests took place on Monday, 5 October, and a court has remanded two of them in custody.

According to Austrian media, the detainees are linked to Ukrainian military intelligence. The court ordered the two suspects held on Wednesday, 7 October. As court spokeswoman Christina Salzborn said on Friday, the grounds are the risk of continued criminal activity, interference with evidence and flight. The measure is in force for now until 21 October. Both suspects deny guilt.

The case is being investigated by Austria's Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence (DSN). The men are suspected of spying for a foreign intelligence service that was supposed to “harm Austria”. Austria's criminal code provides for liability for such an offence. It is not yet known how long the suspects had been in the country or how the authorities tracked them down.

Separately, on Thursday it emerged that the journalist Mikhail Tkach had been detained in Vienna. He was on an editorial assignment, looking for the fugitive former Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Ruslan Kravchenko. According to Austria's Interior Ministry, Tkach was detained on suspicion of espionage, but the suspicion was not confirmed. Editor-in-chief Sevgil Musayeva said on Friday that the journalist had been released, but the newsroom has so far been unable to reach him. Cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko was injured during the detention.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz