DSN Investigations Due to Russian Intelligence Contacts in Austria

The Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence (DSN) stated that the investigations are not directed against the company VTA Austria GmbH and its employees are fully cooperating. VTA Austria is neither directly nor indirectly active in Russia, according to the company's lawyer. A friendship between the engineer and an intelligence agent is denied, however, the long-time employee was questioned as a witness.

Company in Russia Poses as Representative of VTA Austria GmbH

Although VTA is not active in Russia, according to the article, several companies have emerged in Russia using the name VTA. "I knew nothing about this until 14 days ago," said VTA founder and owner Ulrich Kubinger to APA. "I am very upset and have reported it," but he doubts it will lead to success. After all, no damage has occurred, "we have not sold a single kilogram to Russia." The name is not protected, there are companies worldwide that call themselves that.

In one of these Russian companies, posing as the official representative of VTA Austria GmbH, works the Russian intelligence agent who was also in Austria. According to Grozev's research, Sergei K. is said to belong to an important Russian intelligence unit. This unit infiltrates companies and is also behind assassinations and poisonings, such as in 2018 in the case of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.

VTA Austria GmbH Gave Up Interest in the Russian Market in 2019

"We were shocked when state protection informed us about possible intelligence activities in the company," said Kubinger. In 2012, VTA intended to gain customers in Russia and was in the country twelve times until 2019, before losing interest in the market. There are different systems there, and the offers were too expensive for potential customers, explained the company head.

In 2018, however, a professor from the University of Kazan and also the Russian agent, allegedly a student of the University of Kazan, attended a summer school at the VTA company premises. This man later also appeared at the VTA stand at the IFAT trade fair in Munich but behaved inconspicuously. Afterwards, he also participated in a one-day seminar in Kitzbühel, said Kubinger, who never personally met the suspect. A VTA employee - who was questioned as a witness - had maintained loose contact with the Russian.

"We have learned a lot, state protection has briefed us and provided great advice. It was an intensive collaboration," Kubinger now feels "much safer and supported." A bitter aftertaste remains, "we don't know why they wanted to spy on us." VTA is known in the media and does marketing, "but I can do without this kind of attention."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.