They lived in Slovenia as an Argentinian couple in their late 30s. But the country’s intelligence service believes they are Russian spies with false identities.
According to the Slovenian newspaper SiO the couple were arrested by the country’s intelligence and security service (Sova) on 5 December last year.
The couple had office premises in the capital Ljubljana, where they ran an art and antiques studio. According to Slovenian media, they were arrested in the office premises.
The Slovenian channel N1 writes that the two spy suspects were in Slovenia as an Argentinian couple in their late 30s. They are said to have started two companies in the country.
The couple has minor children who are now being looked after by the authorities.
SiO writes that the couple are suspected of espionage on behalf of Russian intelligence, but it is not clear whether it is the military intelligence service GRU or the civilian SVR.
SiO cites unnamed sources that the couple is not only suspected of espionage against Slovenia, but also another country. It is not clear which country it will be about.
The couple are now in custody. They can receive up to eight years in prison if they are convicted of espionage, in addition to five years for document forgery.
According to N1, a Slovenian citizen must have assisted the couple, but sources tell the newspaper that he has not been arrested.
Tipped off by foreign intelligence
According to SiO sources, the pair were arrested as a result of a joint operation with foreign intelligence. Unnamed sources claim on channel N1 that it is about the German intelligence service BND.
In Germany was the intelligence chief Carstel L. arrested in December, suspected of having spied on behalf of Russia.
Carsten L. was head of the department for technical investigations.
There he had access to conversations intercepted by the intelligence service, according to Focus. This is how he gained access to top-secret information about, among other things, terrorists, arms dealers and the war in Ukraine.
But German intelligence is also said to have been tipped off about a traitor in its own ranks by another European intelligence service. It is not known from which country the tip came from.
Several spies caught
The cases come after several heavy blows for Russian intelligence in Europe. Since Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago, around 400 diplomats have been expelled from European countries. All were suspected intelligence officers under diplomatic cover.
Both Dutch and Norwegian intelligence has arrested so-called illegalists – undercover intelligence officers. Both had false Brazilian identities, but were in reality officers in the Russian military intelligence service GRU.
In Sweden, the brothers Peyman Kia (42) and Payam Kia (35) were sentenced for espionage for the benefit of the GRU. At the same time as a Russian man is in custody, also suspected of espionage on behalf of the GRU.
