Austria searching for ‘Russian spy’ who worked for GRU military intelligence

An international arrest warrant has been issued for an alleged “Russian spy” who is suspected of having undertaken secret activities for Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency in Austria.

Austria’s interior ministry posted details online about the search, saying that Igor Egorovich Zaytsev is suspected of having “secretly” worked for GRU. Zaytsev’s actions, the notice says, were “to the detriment of the Republic of Austria.”

The 65-year-old Russian was born in Moscow and is wanted for “betrayal of state secrets,” and “intentional disclosure of a military secret.”

The search was announced on Tuesday by Salzburg’s public prosecutor’s office, but few other details have been published. Some media reports say that the search could likely be in connection with the case of a retired federal army colonel from Salzburg, who is accused of procuring information for Russia between 1992 and 2018.

The colonel, referred to as Martin M. due to privacy laws, was accused last year and is currently in pre-trial detention. The news caused something of a scandal, with one Austrian newspaper reporting that his identity was exposed by the British, who were trying to drive a wedge between Vienna and Moscow.

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