European countries have expelled about 700 Russian intelligence operatives working under diplomatic cover since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service.
By country, Bulgaria expelled 82 alleged “diplomats,” Germany 65, Poland 58, Romania 52, Slovakia 32, and Slovenia and the Netherlands 34 each, among others, the agency said.
After European services dismantled the Kremlin’s spy network, Russian intelligence shifted its focus to “single-use agents” drawn from Europe’s civilian population, the service added. Since 2022, Poland has uncovered 47 people suspected of working for Russian services, Estonia 20, Latvia 19, and Germany 12 - evidence this is a broader strategy, not isolated cases.
According to the agency, Russian services recruit European citizens through the internet, social media, church communities, sports clubs, and mass events. These “single-use agents” are tasked with obtaining specific information or carrying out assignments for the Kremlin.
Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service says the recruitment drive is part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hybrid strategy aimed at undermining European countries.
