Summary:
Last spring, 17 Russian diplomats were deported from the Netherlands on suspicion of being spies. Investigative editors from NOS and Nieuwsuur began exploring who these individuals were and their activities. They discovered that these diplomats were involved in various intelligence roles, including counter-espionage, encryption, and likely traditional espionage. The group had diverse backgrounds and worked under diplomatic cover. Their activities included recruiting agents, eavesdropping, and potentially infiltrating government agencies. The presence of such spies in Western European countries raises questions about how they were allowed entry and their potential impact on national security.
1. Last spring, 17 Russian diplomats were deported from the Netherlands due to suspicions of being spies .
2. The investigation was conducted by the investigative editors of the NOS and Nieuwsuur .
3. The 17 diplomats were part of a larger group of Russian diplomats who were deported on suspicion of espionage .
4. The diplomats had families and rental apartments in the Netherlands .
5. The Russian Embassy in The Hague consists of several villas where the Russians have been staying for several decades .
6. Most of the diplomats lived on the grounds of the embassy, while some lived outside .
7. The diplomats were deported by a Russian government plane on April 10 .
8. The list of deported diplomats contained not only names but also dates of birth and the services they were thought to belong to .
9. Both the military intelligence service (GHO) and the more political intelligence service (SVR) were involved .
10. The diplomats were involved in various activities, including counter-espionage, full-time secret communications, and working in Amsterdam at the Handelspresentation .
11. Some of the diplomats were involved in the OPCW, an organization for the ban on chemical weapons .
12. The diplomats were allowed to stay in the Netherlands due to the ongoing discussions between Dutch intelligence services and Foreign Affairs .
13. The embassy buildings are currently inhabited by the remaining diplomats and their families .