Italy Expels Russian Diplomats Over Spying Allegations

ROME—Italy expelled two Russian diplomats suspected of spying Wednesday, the most current in a spate of incidents involving suspected Russian espionage in Europe.

Italian authorities said a Russian diplomat, who works in the business office of the military attaché at the Russian embassy in Rome, was caught acquiring classified files from an Italian Navy officer in exchange for a sum of funds.

The naval officer was arrested and accused of “serious crimes relative to spying and countrywide security,” the Italian police said devoid of specifying the actual costs. The Russian diplomat was briefly detained when Italian authorities assessed his diplomatic status.

The 2nd Russian formal expelled was the direct superior of the formal who allegedly acquired the classified files.

The incident is the most current in a sequence of spying accusations involving Russian nationals or those people allegedly doing work for them in Europe. It comes as the partnership among Moscow and the West worsens next the jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a move that observed the European Union sanction senior Russian officials.