The Netherlands expels 17 Russian intelligence officers | news item
News item | 29-03-2022 | 15:40
Today the ambassador of Russia was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ambassador is familiar with the Netherlands and expels 17 Russian intelligence officers from the Netherlands. The reason for this is information from the AIVD and MIVD services that relate to persons accredited as diplomats at the Russian representations in the Netherlands, who are secretly active as intelligence officers.
The cabinet has decided because of the threat to national security posed by this group. The intelligence threat against the Netherlands is undiminished. Russia’s current attitude towards reporting makes the presence of these intelligence officers undesirable. The deportation is a measure taken in the context of national security.
Minister Hoekstra: “Experience shows that Russia does not leave these kinds of measures unanswered. We cannot speculate on that, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is prepared for various scenarios that could arise.”
The decision was made in consultation with a number of like-minded countries. Previously, the entire States, Poland, Bulgaria, United Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Montenegro have already announced that they have expelled Russian intelligence officers.