Chancellor Says Austria Needs To Deter Russian Infiltration Amid Spying Allegations

The arrest in recent days of a former Austrian intelligence officer on serious allegations of spying for Russia suggests that Vienna needs to boost its security to thwart Russian infiltration, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on April 1. The allegations against Egisto Ott, who worked for a now-defunct intelligence agency and whose arrest was announced on March 29, are “grave” and have prompted the chancellor to call a meeting next week of Austria’s National Security Council, he said. Ott has denied wrongdoing.