Diplomats Expelled, Intelligence Service Suspects Russia Uses Civilians to Journalists to Spy on Denmark

JAKARTA - The Danish intelligence service predicts that Russia will recruit civilians and use journalists and businessmen to spy on the country.

The move was envisaged as an alternative, after Russian diplomats were expelled from the country last year on suspicion of espionage, the service said Tuesday.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased Moscow's need to gather intelligence on NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) countries, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) said in a report on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters May 3.

Controlling the entrance to the Baltic Sea, Denmark will play an important strategic role in a potential military conflict with Russia as a transit point for NATO reinforcements, making the NATO member a special focus for Russia, PET said.

The Russian Embassy in Copenhagen did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters on this matter.

When Denmark, along with other EU countries, expelled 15 Russian diplomats in April last year, it crippled Russia's ability to spy on Denmark.

"However, Russia's need to obtain information on Denmark has increased... and therefore PET expects Russia to try to use other means to spy on Denmark," PET said.

"... It could be placing intelligence officers in Denmark outside diplomatic missions, for example as journalists or business people, using visiting intelligence officers or Russian intelligence agencies to recruit Danish sources in Russia or in third countries," explained PET.

The intelligence agency added that other methods would include various forms of electronic intelligence gathering and cyber espionage.