Czech Intelligence 'Suspects 3 Russian Diplomats of Being Spies'

The Security Information Service (BIS) of the Czech Republic believes three Russian diplomats might be acting as spies, local media reports suggest.

Following the alert of BIS, the country's national intelligence agency, the three were forced out of the Czech Republic, since their visas and residence permits were not renewed, according to the English-language Ceske Noviny website.

Russia for its part has reciprocally banned diplomats from the Czech embassy in Moscow. The Czech Reublic's Foreign Ministry has denied official comments on the affair.

The operation of BIS was reportedly launched nine months ago after a Russian diplomat not associated with the embassy in Prague was identified as someone involved in spying. The intelligence service later exposed two diplomats, one of them currently at the embassy and the other yet to start his mission in Prague.

Russian media suggest the reason Prague decided not to banish the diplomats in order to avoid a further buildup of tensions.

Officials from the Prague embassy told Interfax that their mission did not tend to comment "such kind of situations."

The country also expelled in 2009 two Russian agents, accusing them of activities related to nuclear energy and oil and gas deliveries.

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