Russia using embassies in Nordic countries for espionage - reports

Numerous employees of Russian embassies in Nordic countries have links to Russian secret services, according to research by Nordic broadcasters.

In a documentary published on Wednesday, the four broadcasters - SVT from Sweden, NRK from Norway, DR from Denmark and Yle from Finland - named a total of 38 suspected secret service employees who are said to have worked under diplomatic cover in Russian embassies in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo in recent years. Seventeen of them remain active in the countries, according to the report.

"Russia's embassies in the Nordics are used as spy stations manned by a large number of professional intelligence officers," DR reported.

According to the media, the 38 names were confirmed by Western intelligence agencies.

NRK also named the consul general of the Russian settlement of Barentsburg on the northern Norwegian archipelago of Spitsbergen as the 39th Russian agent. He is said to have links to the GRU military intelligence service.

Nordic intelligence agencies reportedly believe that about a third of the Russian embassy staff are seconded Russian intelligence agents. They are working on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin and are hunting for information, technology and influence to give Russia an advantage, a senior Norwegian intelligence official said in the documentary.

Sweden plans to expel five Russian diplomats, according to SVT. Their activities were not compatible with their diplomatic status, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström told the broadcaster on Tuesday.

Norway recently expelled 15 Russian diplomats.