Germany is blocking tighter restrictions on Russian spy-diplomats across Europe.
The Czech Republic has proposed ending free movement for Russian diplomats and their families in the European Union’s Schengen zone amid a series of Kremlin-inspired attacks.
Warehouses containing aid destined for Ukraine, arms factories supplying Kyiv and railway infrastructure heading east have all been targeted by Russia’s mounting hybrid war on the Continent, it is claimed.
Moscow has often deployed its intelligence officers in Europe under the guise of diplomatic postings.
The EU’s free-travel area, which spans 29 countries, is “easing malign activities” across the bloc, Jan Lipasvsky, the Czech foreign minister, wrote in a recent letter to Josep Borrell, Brussels’ top foreign diplomat.
Mr Lipasvsky, backed by eight EU counterparts, urged Brussels to “restrict the movement of Russian diplomats and their family members to the territory of a state of their accreditation only”.
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European diplomats who spoke to The Telegraph and diplomatic notes seen by this publication revealed that Germany is a key blockage to the proposed crackdown.
It prompted allegations that Berlin’s government is attempting to foster relations with Russia, despite promises to end its reliance on previously cheap Russian energy supplies.
“Germany has the approach of returning to business as usual with Russia and they think this is escalatory,” a diplomat said.
Embassies are used to coordinate spies. The actual terrorists often have had contacts with the embassy spy staff, but they use other passports. So by monitoring the embassy staff, you are able to find the actual terrorist spies. So when you find a Russia diplomat in the wrong country, you start to follow them.