Russian citizen detained in Austria on suspicion of espionage

Austrian authorities have detained a Russian man on suspicion of espionage.

Gerhard Jarosch, a spokesman for the Vienna public prosecutor's office, said authorities detained the man on an arrest warrant issued by German authorities.

He declined to provide more details, saying only that the man is suspected of receiving sensitive information from a member of Austria's army, who has also been detained.

A decision is expected later Thursday on whether the man will be kept in detention in Austria while awaiting a decision on his extradition to Germany, Jarosch said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Rudolf Gollia confirmed the two detentions, saying both took place Monday evening. The Russian man was detained at Salzburg's main train station and the Austrian citizen in Gmunden, a town about 60 kilometers (37 miles) east, he said.

Gollia said the Russian man was arrested on the basis of a European Union arrest warrant issued by authorities in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was working with the U.N. to determine whether the man had diplomatic immunity at the time of his detention.

According to Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency, the man was taking part in the 50th session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at Vienna's U.N. complex.

The Russian space agency Roskosmos said it has not been informed of the man's detention but confirmed that the person referred to in media reports is an employee.

The Interfax news agency reported that the Russian Embassy in Austria has lodged an official complaint with the country's foreign ministry in connection with the detention.