Slovenia arrests 2 suspected Russian spies – report

Slovenian authorities have arrested two foreign nationals suspected of spying for the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, according to Slovenian newspaper Delo reported Monday.

The arrest operation was carried out in December by the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA) in the capital Ljubljana, the suspects were reportedly arrested in a rented office in the Bežigrad district.

At least one of the suspects holds Argentine nationality, while both were operating in the EU member state under false identities, according to information obtained by Delo.

The two alleged operatives, believed to be part of a wider network of GRU sleeper cells operating in the West, face up to eight years in prison for spying and providing false information.

Russian officials have yet to comment on the incident.

In October, the Norwegian authorities stopped GRU agent Mikhail Mikushin, who operated under the false identity of Brazilian academic José Assis Giammaria and participated in a research program at the University of Tromsø.

But Russian authorities have not confirmed links to Mikushin and called his arrest a “spy mania” which is “actively promoted in Norway”.