Switzerland’s Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) warned in its annual report that the espionage threat in Switzerland remains high amid growing global instability, with the main risks coming from Russia and China, as reported by the japantimes.
The report states that the security situation around Switzerland is worsening every year, and the emerging global confrontation between the U.S. on one side and China and Russia on the other directly affects the neutral Alpine country.
It emphasizes that escalating tensions put pressure on Switzerland, making it a key target for foreign intelligence services that use covert operatives disguised as diplomats, businessmen, journalists, or tourists.
According to the FIS, the most serious espionage threats come specifically from Russia and China, which maintain a strong intelligence presence in Switzerland and show interest in federal authorities, companies, international organizations, and scientific institutions. Unlike other countries where intelligence focuses mainly on monitoring their own diaspora, Moscow and Beijing have sufficient resources to pursue broader targets, including police, foreign diplomats, journalists, and universities.
The report notes that Russian and Chinese diplomatic missions in Switzerland have undercover agents, and since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the security environment has sharply deteriorated. FIS warns that Moscow and Beijing will continue intelligence operations in Switzerland against Western countries, including preparations for hybrid warfare, and the country faces an increasing risk of its territory being used for kidnappings, sabotage, or assassinations abroad. No decrease is expected in espionage against opposition figures and exiled journalists living in Switzerland.
The agency highlighted that Geneva, as a center of international organizations, will remain a hotspot for illegal intelligence activities. FIS Director Christian Dussey said Switzerland has never faced such a high density of threats and is no longer just an observer but directly affected by global crises, with the agency monitoring developments in 15 hot spots worldwide. He noted that foreign intelligence services show special interest in Switzerland’s technology innovation sector, and the country is becoming a target for attempts to circumvent sanctions and spread weapons of mass destruction.
The report also states that Russia, Iran, and North Korea increasingly try to acquire dual-use goods and technologies through Switzerland for their military and nuclear programs.
