Austria Detains Two Suspected Ukrainian Intelligence Operatives in Vienna
Austria has detained two suspected Ukrainian military intelligence operatives in Vienna, while two journalists arrested during the investigation have been released.
Austrian authorities are investigating two Ukrainian nationals suspected of working for Ukraine's military intelligence service following their arrest in Vienna, in a case that has also drawn scrutiny over the temporary detention of two Ukrainian investigative journalists.
The two suspected intelligence operatives remain in pretrial custody, while the journalists were released on Friday, October 9, after prosecutors said suspicions against them had not been substantiated.
The two men suspected of intelligence activity were arrested on Monday, October 5, and placed in pretrial detention by the Vienna Regional Court two days later. Court spokesperson Christina Salzborn confirmed that detention had been ordered on grounds including the risk of further offending, interference with evidence and flight.
The order currently runs until October 21. Both men deny the allegations, and Austrian authorities have not publicly identified them or disclosed what intelligence activities they are suspected of conducting.
Austria's Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence (DSN) is leading the investigation under Section 256 of the Austrian Criminal Code, which concerns secret intelligence activities to the detriment of Austria.
The investigation was confirmed by Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner on Friday, although officials declined to provide details about the suspected operation, the men's activities in Austria or how investigators identified them. Their alleged connection to Ukrainian military intelligence has been reported by Austrian media but has not been established in court.
Detention of Ukrainian Journalists Raises Questions
The investigation became more complicated on Thursday, October 8, when Austrian authorities detained Mykhailo Tkach, head of investigations at the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, and cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko.
The two journalists were in Vienna investigating the whereabouts of former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, according to their newsroom. Their detention initially appeared to be part of the broader espionage investigation, although authorities have not publicly explained how they came under suspicion or whether their reporting assignment had any connection to the case.
Tkach was released at approximately 4 a.m. on Friday after spending around 12 hours in custody. Bondarenko, who was injured during the arrest and received hospital treatment, was released later that day.
Vienna prosecution spokesperson Nina Bussek told Austrian media that suspicions had emerged against the journalists during another investigation but had not been substantiated. Both journalists are now free, while the two men detained earlier in the week remain in pretrial custody.
In an account published by Ukrainska Pravda, Tkach described a forceful arrest involving masked, armed officers who smashed the windows of the journalists' vehicle and pulled them onto the road. He said he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist and alleged that an officer placed a knee against his neck.
Tkach also said investigators confronted him with allegations involving Ukrainian military intelligence and participation in a criminal organization. These are his accounts of the detention and questioning; Austrian authorities have not publicly provided a detailed account of the operation.
The incident prompted a response from Ukrainian diplomatic officials, who requested an explanation of the circumstances and legal grounds for the journalists' detention.
The Committee to Protect Journalists also called on Austrian authorities to explain the operation and the treatment of both reporters. Reporters Without Borders expressed concern over the use of force and the potential implications for journalists investigating politically sensitive matters.
The case has left several important questions unanswered. Austrian investigators have not disclosed the identities of the two men still in custody, the nature of their alleged intelligence activities or whether any specific Austrian institution or individual was targeted.
Nor have prosecutors publicly established a connection between the suspected intelligence operation and the journalists' investigation into Kravchenko. For now, the investigation remains under the authority of the DSN, with the detention of the two principal suspects subject to further judicial review.
