Russian spy network uncovered in Italian and Vatican embassies

An investigation by the Italian portal Il Riformista has uncovered a Russian spy network operating within Italian embassies, including an official accredited to the Vatican. The network reportedly included individuals linked to Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Key figures identified include Ivan Petrovich Gorbachev and Mikhail Vasilyevich Astachov, both allegedly tied to the GRU. Other individuals, such as Igor Alekseevich Anikiev and Igor Albertovich Ovechkin, reportedly served as embassy counselors while unofficially cooperating with the FSB. Their activities focused on collecting and analyzing information regarding Italian state structures, with a specific emphasis on NATO military and technological systems, including infrastructure, suppliers, and communication networks.

Additionally, the network was reportedly tasked with recruiting migrants from Eastern Europe for potential use in acts of sabotage. Several individuals, including embassy secretaries Anton Andeyevich Diemin and Dmitrij Yurievich Morozenkov, were also implicated. The suspected spies were expelled from Italy in early July.