Italy’s 007 scandal: Two Russian military attaches expelled over spying
Italy has ordered the expulsion of two Russian military attaches accused of espionage, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemning “serious and unacceptable acts of interference” by Moscow.Tajani named the Russians as Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astakhov and said they had been ordered to leave Italy within three days.“Moscow continues to use hybrid warfare to attack the West and Italy — acts of interference that are serious and unacceptable to Italian institutions and national security,” Tajani wrote on X.The expulsions came two days after police announced the arrest of two former Italian intelligence agents who, according to media reports, gave Russia secrets on military aid to Ukraine.Rome police said one of the detained Italians, a 59-year-old former Carabinieri officer, had been paid by a Russian handler and “disclosed to him information of interest through six sources, including four serving military personnel assigned to posts marked by a high level of confidentiality.”
Information passed to Russia
Media reports said the Italians had handed over information on an Italian-French air defence system, the SAMP/T, and Aster missiles that were to be provided to Ukraine this year to be tested. Russian handlers had also sought details on a NATO mission in Bulgaria and the Italian company Avio, which makes motors for drones and supersonic missiles.La Stampa newspaper, quoting a recording of the suspect’s telephone conversations, said the 59-year-old gave “thousands” of items of information over a 12-year period. A lawyer for the former spy denied there had been any treason, asserting that the man, who was to be formally questioned on Friday, had only gathered publicly available information.Corriere della Sera said the 59-year-old also provided the identities of Italian counter-espionage agents who were meant to monitor the Russians.
Russia says it will respond
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond to Italy’s expulsion, the RIA state news agency reported.Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Tuesday that the case was “just the tip of the iceberg” in Russia’s so-called “hybrid war” in Europe as it pursues its invasion of Ukraine.In 2024, an Italian court jailed a navy captain who was caught selling classified documents to the Russian embassy. Italy expelled two Russian officials then, and Moscow expelled an Italian diplomat in retaliation.
