Two newly arrived correspondents of Russia’s state news agency TASS in Austria may be undercover operatives of Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), according to an investigation by The Insider published on October 2, 2025. The journalists, Olga Kukla and Maxim Cherevik, relocated to Vienna in August, raising suspicions due to their professional backgrounds and reported links to Russian intelligence. Their predecessors at the Vienna bureau, Ivan Popov and Arina Davidyan, had their accreditations revoked by Austrian authorities in June 2024 over similar espionage allegations.
Profiles raising suspicion
The investigation highlighted that Kukla, a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) with a focus on energy economics, previously worked with major Russian energy companies, including Novatek and Gazprom. Despite her new role in Vienna, she had no professional experience in journalism prior to her assignment with TASS.
Cherevik also studied at MGIMO, specializing in international economic relations, and undertook internships with Rosneft before joining TASS in Beijing. During his tenure in China, he published only a handful of reports before being recalled to Moscow. Both correspondents were allegedly linked to SVR housing complexes in Moscow, further fueling suspicions of their intelligence roles.
Vienna’s role as a hub for espionage
Austria’s capital has long been a focal point for espionage operations, dating back to the Cold War. Vienna hosts key international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), making it a strategic location for intelligence gathering and influence operations. Analysts note that Kukla’s and Cherevik’s expertise in energy and economics could serve Moscow’s interests in monitoring European energy security, sanctions regimes, and corporate strategies.
Broader Russian intelligence operations in Europe
The alleged activities of TASS correspondents fit into a wider pattern of heightened Russian espionage across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Intelligence-linked sabotage, cyberattacks, and influence campaigns have increased in scale, aimed at undermining European unity and support for Kyiv. Think tank Globsec and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism have recorded at least 110 confirmed sabotage incidents linked to Russia since 2022, ranging from arson to targeted physical attacks, excluding cyber operations and disinformation efforts.
Pressure on Austrian counterintelligence
The surge in suspected Russian operations has intensified calls for Austria to tighten its counterintelligence efforts. Observers stress the need for closer scrutiny of Russian diplomats and media representatives to prevent infiltration into Austrian institutions and corporations. The issue gained further traction after a recent case in late September, when Austrian energy giant OMV dismissed a senior manager on suspicion of spying for Moscow following his meetings with a Russian embassy official.