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Suspected Russian spy, OSCE observer of the elections in Serbia

2023-12-13 08:49:04Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Suspected Russian spy, OSCE observer of the elections in Serbia

A Russian diplomat and suspected spy, expelled from the European Union for "illegal and disruptive actions", will serve as an observer of the upcoming parliamentary and local elections in Serbia, within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE), reveals a study by Radio Free Europe.

Aleksandr Studenikin, 49, was an adviser at Russia's permanent mission to the EU in Brussels when he and 18 other Russian diplomats were declared persona non grata in April 2022 - two months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The EU said the blacklisted Russian diplomats engaged in activities "against the interests and security of the EU and its member states".

Now, Studenikin is among a group of 30 election observers who will represent the OSCE in Serbia's elections for Parliament and 65 municipalities on December 17.

A media report earlier claimed that Studenikin was an employee of Russia's foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR. A senior European official with access to classified information also told Radio Free Europe that Studenikin works for the SVR, although he himself denies any connection to intelligence.

Studenikin is one of four Russians on the long-term observer list of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) mission.

According to the OSCE, these observers are responsible for monitoring the entire electoral process, "to gain a deep understanding of the general administrative procedures and the campaign environment".

The group also includes observers from the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Denmark, Belarus and seven other countries.

Studenikin's assignment in Serbia is temporary, but this country has become a destination for Russian diplomats expelled from the EU.

A Radio Free Europe investigation in March found that at least three Russian diplomats with ties to Russian intelligence who were blacklisted by EU member states have re-emerged as Russian diplomats accredited to Serbia – one of one of the few European countries that has not imposed sanctions against Russia, because of its war in Ukraine.

Their expulsion came after EU governments blacklisted hundreds of Russian diplomats following the launch of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Some of these countries cite suspected espionage as grounds for expulsion.

The elections in Serbia come at a time when Western governments have increased pressure on Belgrade to impose sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine. The ruling Serbian Progressive Party and President Aleksandar Vučić have maintained a coalition with parties seen as pro-Russian, while the pro-EU opposition has struggled to gain popularity in a country where most of the population sees Russia as a friendly nation.

Vucic has tried to balance Belgrade's aspirations to join the EU and its friendly relations with Russia. The two countries share Orthodox Christian heritage, while Moscow also supports Belgrade in its disputes with the West.

Russians working for the OSCE have previously had difficulty entering some EU countries.

Last year, Polish authorities declared two Russian employees of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly persona non grata, saying they posed a "threat to state security". One of them, Darya Boyarskaya, was stopped at the Lithuanian-Russian border while trying to visit her relatives in Kaliningrad.

OSCE member countries select individuals who want to join an election observation mission. The OSCE itself does not directly manage the recruitment of these observers, who are recommended by member states.

Studenikin, who previously worked at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, arrived in Serbia on November 19 to begin his work as an OSCE election observer.

Studenikin's monitoring group is responsible for several municipalities in eastern Serbia and met with local political representatives in Zajecar and Kladovo, near the borders with Bulgaria and Romania.

Contacted by phone in Serbia, Studenikin told Radio Free Europe that the reason for his expulsion is information published on his LinkedIn account, which also mentions his employment at the OPCW.

"We had about 500 people deported from Europe. It turns out that if you're Russian, you're a spy. Whether you are a diplomat or not, it doesn't matter to everyone," he said.

An ODIHR spokesperson told Radio Free Europe that the organization "was not informed" that the EU has declared Studenik a person undesirable, or non grata.

Election observers are selected by their respective countries and "must respect the observers' code of conduct," the spokesman added.

"Any serious violation of the code leads to the immediate withdrawal of an observer's accreditation," according to him.

Radio Free Europe sent questions about Studenikin's role as an election observer at the Serbian Foreign Ministry, the Serbian Election Commission and Russia's permanent mission to the OSCE in Vienna. Neither of them responded by the time this article was published.

Asked about Studenikin's expulsion last year, the Belgian Foreign Ministry referred questions to the EU's External Action Service, which did not respond.

"Contrary to diplomatic status"

Studenikin's inclusion in the EU blacklist, which was announced in April 2022, was first reported in a joint investigation by the EU Observer and the Dossier Center.

EU Observer claimed he works for the SVR.

The senior European official with access to classified information that Radio Free Europe spoke to also said that Studenikin is an employee of the SVR - which Studenikin denied.

“Maybe I'd like to work for someone [like that], but that opportunity hasn't presented itself in my career so far. So, no, definitely not," he told Radio Free Europe.

In an emailed response to questions about Studenikin, the SVR said it declined to comment.

The EU did not release the names of the 19 blacklisted Russian diplomats, or directly charge them with espionage, but said they engaged in "activities contrary to their diplomatic status".

"The European Union is acting in response to the illegal and disruptive actions of certain members of the Russian mission against the interests and security of the EU and its member states," an EU statement said.

Studenikin's name still appears on the website of Russia's permanent mission to the EU, where he is listed as an adviser on industrial cooperation.

This list, which appears not to have been updated, includes many Russian diplomats who have left Brussels. Among them is Denis Pavlov, who has been sent to the Central African Republic to coordinate between Russian mercenaries and local police, a Radio Free Europe investigation revealed.

The backlash of chemical weapons

Studenikin was not a career diplomat before joining Russia's permanent mission to the EU in 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile.

With a military background in chemical defense, Studenikin worked at the OPCW – the 193-member organization whose stated mission is the permanent elimination of chemical weapons.

Russia has had a strained relationship with the OPCW since 2018, when the organization confirmed that a powerful Soviet-era nerve agent known as Novichok was used in the near-fatal poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. his in England. Britain blamed Russian military intelligence for the attack.

Novichok was also identified as the substance used in a similar attack against Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny in 2020.

This information suggested that Russia may have an undeclared secret chemical weapons program, in violation of the international treaty.

Russia denies involvement in the poisonings of Skripal and Navalny, despite substantial evidence documenting the presence of Russian intelligence operatives in both incidents. Moscow also denies it has a secret chemical weapons program.

In October 2018, Dutch and US authorities accused Russian military intelligence of a plot to hack the OPCW's computer systems.

Last month, Russia failed to regain its seat on the OPCW's Executive Council. This is the first time in the organization's history that Moscow does not have a seat on the decision-making body.

A source who has worked at the OPCW headquarters in The Hague for more than ten years told RFE/RL that Studenikin joined the organization as an inspector, but was soon transferred to the Department of International Assistance and Cooperation, responsible for supporting "efforts of state parties to fulfill their obligations under the convention" as well as "facilitating the response and handling of threats involving toxic chemicals".

Leaked Russian tax records showed Studenikin also worked as an expert at Russia's now-defunct Federal Industry Agency. She was, among other things, responsible for fulfilling Russia's obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Studenikin's LinkedIn profile says he has also completed several chemical weapons defense training courses. They include sessions at Britain's leading training center for defense against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.

Radio Free Europe was unable to determine when this alleged training took place.

Studenikin told Radio Free Europe that his employment with the OPCW ended after his contract expired.

The OSCE's handbook for long-term election observers like Studenikin says that for this role, the organization seeks people "with experience in election administration, election-related legal expertise and/or comparative observation experience."

Studenikin's LinkedIn profile does not mention any election monitoring experience or other work with the OSCE — whose work has often been criticized by Western governments, which have described it as being paralyzed by Russia.

The OSCE held its annual summit in North Macedonia in November, but several member countries boycotted the meeting, due to the presence of senior Russian diplomats, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov./Received by REL/


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