Belgian State Security prepared 554 investigative reports on Russian interference

From 2014 to date, Belgian State Security has prepared 554 investigative reports on Russian interference. Le Soir reported this on Saturday.

According to a US intelligence report, the Kremlin uses Brussels as a base for numerous foundations and structures to support far-right candidates. The aim is to weaken democracies and give a firm push to 'friendly' political movements or parties deemed favourable to Russian interests.

The issue of Russian interference highlighted by the US report is not new. This is apparent from a memo from the committee in charge of monitoring Belgian intelligence, which Le Soir was able to consult. It illustrates that Belgian politics could undoubtedly be the subject of attempted Russian interference. In this context, Belgian State Security drew up 554 investigative reports on threats of Russian interference from 2014 to date.

Although Belgium's State Security believes it has 'solid' information on Russian interference, investigators today have no concrete evidence that foreign powers structurally finance Belgian political parties.

That Russia is remarkably active in Europe's capital was also evident earlier this year when Belgium expelled 21 spies. These so-called diplomats worked at the Russian Embassy just outside Brussels. According to Lars Bové, a journalist at De Tijd, some 70-80 people working for Russian intelligence were present at the Russian embassy at the time of the expulsion.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the EU and Belgium have jointly expelled 40 diplomatic spies. Belgium immediately removed the 21 diplomatic posts so Russia could not refill them with new spies. However, the EU did not scrap its 19 so-called 'slots', in principle allowing new spies to take their place.

^{Illustration picture shows a protest action in front of the Russian Embassy to call for peace in Ukraine, in Brussels, Thursday 24 February 2022. Last night Russia decided to invade several Ukrainian regions.}

^{© BELGA PHOTO Nicolas Maeterlinck}