Austria arrests suspected Russian spy: Newspaper

There are reports a Russian citizen has been arrested in Austria. The local Kurier newspaper said the Russian was detained on suspicion of military espionage.

The paper reported an Austrian air force officer was also taken into custody at the same time for allegedly passing on some secret information. In its article the paper wrote that both men had been under surveillance by the intelligence service for some time.

Russian news agency RIA Novosti says the Russian embassy has not commented on the issue. But the agency quotes a high-ranking source in the Russian diplomatic mission in Austria as saying the embassy has filed an official protest to the Austrian Foreign Ministry on the arrest.

RIA Novosti also reports that the Austrian Prosecutor General's Office confirmed a Russian and an Austrian were arrested, but did not provide more detailed information.

“Moscow is doing everything possible to clear up the circumstances of the detention and secure the legal rights of the Russian citizen. We are taking necessary measures to resolve the situation and return him to Russia,” said Andrey Krivtsov, a spokesman for Russian Foreign Ministry.