Russia Vows Retaliation After Austria Expels Its Diplomats

Oct. 23, 2026 The Russian Embassy in Vienna. Txllxt TxllxT (CC BY-SA 4.0) Russia’s Foreign Ministry has vowed to issue an “inevitable” response to Austria expelling four of its diplomats, the state-run TASS news agency reported Friday. Austria’s foreign ministry said earlier that it declared the Vienna-based Russian diplomats personae non gratae over “activities incompatible with their diplomatic status,” a term usually used for spying. “A response will follow inevitably,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky told TASS without providing further details. Three of the expelled diplomats worked at Russia’s Embassy in Vienna and one at the Russian delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on military security and arms control, the Austrian ministry said. The move brings the total number of Russian diplomats expelled in Austria over the past six years to 18. While Austria is a neutral country, politically its governments have sided with Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. In May, Austria expelled three Russian diplomats, citing an “antenna forest” on the roofs of Russian diplomatic buildings that could be used for spying. Moscow routinely issues tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats from the host country’s embassy in Moscow. Vienna is a major diplomatic center, hosting the OSCE and UN organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency. Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: Austria , Foreign Ministry Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Slams Report It Backed ‘Zero Enrichment’ Iran Nuclear Deal Axios reported Saturday that Putin had “encouraged” Iran to accept a zero enrichment deal. 2 Min read Moscow Blames Sanctions for Russia-UN Food Deal Collapse Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that extending the deal was not "envisaged." 2 Min read Russia Says Foreign Minister Lavrov Met Kim Jong Un Russia's Foreign Ministry shared a video of two men shaking hands and greeting with a hug. 2 Min read Russia Pulls Citizens From Iran, Halts Tehran Consular Activity The Russian Embassy in Tehran said it had suspended consular activities over the current situation in the country. 1 Min read