Russians With Schengen Tourist Visas Arrested After Entering Military Factory in Albania
According to Bild, the German newspaper, the intruders, two men and a woman, were arrested, and photographic equipment, including pictures of the military installation, was confiscated from them, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
“The officers guarding the plant responded immediately, but two of our soldiers were injured in their efforts to stop the three foreigners,” the Defence Ministry of Albania wrote in a press release.
As the Albanian media reported, the three agents were disguised as tourists – a common practice of Russian agents who had entered countries as tourists with Schengen visas. In addition, one of the arrested had jumped a security fence and attacked two staff soldiers after refusing to leave the property.
Moreover, on the following day, the Albanian policeman also caught four Czech citizens taking pictures at the factory in Poliçan, which also made Kalashnikovs in the past and now manufactures 7.62mm ammunition. The suspects will be investigated in freedom.
According to Sergei Sumlenny, the former head of the Kyiv office of the Boell Foundation, these could be Russian spies based on repeated threats of Russian nationals toward NATO countries.
“I’m not surprised since hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian passports ended up in Russian hands in the occupied territories. Of course, the Russian planning centre is behind the attack,” Sumlenny said regarding the Ukrainian passports.
Edi Rama, the Albanian Prime Minister, also pointed out that three arrested were suspected of espionage and ordered the military police, secret services and anti-terrorist experts to begin investigations regarding the matter.
Gramsh plant, in 1962, was used for the production of licensed AK 47, a Russian-type rifle, whereas today, the plant provides weapons to the defence industry.
This isn’t the first time in these recent months that Albania has been attacked. Last month, the Albanian official government website was shut down after a major cyberattack. The attack targeted government infrastructure and other public services.
A statement from the government pointed out that the methods used by the hackers were identical to other attacks seen in international cyberspace, including those in Belgium, Malta, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Germany and Lithuania.
“Fortunately, the rapid detection and response to these attacks meant that government systems emerged unscathed,” the government added in the press release.
Albania has been under the protection of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) since April 1, 2009.
