Russia Expels Rome's Military Attaché and 'Collaborator'

Italy announced on Monday that Russia had “without justification” expelled a military attaché at its mission and one of his “collaborators,” ten days after Rome expelled two Russian intelligence officers operating on its territory under diplomatic cover.

Russia did not immediately comment on the expulsion.

Italy had announced on July 9 the expulsion of two Russian intelligence officers who had been operating on its territory under diplomatic cover, condemning a “serious and unacceptable interference,” two days after the arrest of two former Italian intelligence officers on charges of cooperating with Moscow.

According to the Italian newspapers La Repubblica and Il Messaggero, at least one of the Russian officers collected, for money, information concerning the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system, which Ukraine is expected to receive this year for testing, and the Franco-Italian Aster missiles, which have already been delivered to Kyiv.

The officer was also interested in the NATO mission in Bulgaria and in the Italian company Avio, which produces engines for unmanned aerial vehicles and hypersonic missiles.