Netherlands expelled 4 Russians in April over allegedly targeting chemical weapons watchdog
The Netherlands expelled four Russian intelligence officers in April, who allegedly targeted the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Dutch defense minister said.
The operation was the work of Russian military intelligence agents GRU, Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld said during a media conference on Thursday.
The minister insists that the Russian agents were targeting the Hague-based chemical weapons watchdog. Four Russian intelligence officers were expelled from the country in April, she added.
The Permanent Representation of Russia to OPCW declined to comment on Bijleveld’s statement to Russian media so far.
According to the Dutch defense minister, the alleged operation was disrupted on April 13.
The Russians had diplomatic passports, she said, adding that the men took photos of the surroundings of the organization in the Hague.
On April 13 they allegedly parked a car next to the office of the watchdog. Their vehicle contained high-profile equipement which was able to hack into the organization’s WIFI network.
Dutch Major General Onno Eichelsheim who also spoke at the media conference, insists that the Russians “were not on vacation” and one of the men had 20,000 euros in cash.
The Russian ambassador to the Netherlands has been summoned to the country’s foreign ministry, officials said.
Britain’s ambassador to the Netherlands Peter Wilson who was also present at the media conference said that the Russians also targeted UK Foreign Office and Porton Down Defence and Science Laboratory.
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