Ukraine war has made Switzerland a hub for Chinese, Russian spies: Swiss intelligence

The Swiss intelligence service said the ‘threat to Switzerland posed by foreign [mainly Russian and Chinese] espionage remains high’

The Swiss secret service said it was shifting towards a bipolar world order shaped by the US-China rivalry, but Russia’s war in Ukraine would remain a focal point

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Switzerland is home to several international organisations, and the country’s intelligence service said the threat to Switzerland posed by foreign [mainly Russian and Chinese] espionage remains high. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 9:21pm, 26 Jun 2023Updated: 9:24pm, 26 Jun 2023

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made Switzerland – home to several international organisations – a hub for Russian and Chinese espionage, the Swiss intelligence service said on Monday.

“Russia has destroyed the rules-based order for peace in Europe,” the Federal Intelligence Service said in its annual report. The FIS is in charge of Switzerland’s counter-intelligence.

“The effectiveness of international forums for maintaining peace and security, such as the UN or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, has continued to decline; there are no signs of a stable new world order,” the FIS said.

Overall, Switzerland’s security picture is being shaped by the growing rivalry between the major powers, which has been heightened by the war in Ukraine.

The FIS said it was shifting towards a bipolar world order shaped by the systemic rivalry between the United States and China.

But for the moment, Russia’s war in Ukraine would remain the focal point in Switzerland’s security environment.

“The threat to Switzerland posed by foreign [mainly Russian and Chinese] espionage remains high,” the FIS said.