Belgian politicians and senior financial executives have been targeted in an intimidation campaign organised by Russian intelligence services aimed at persuading Belgium to block the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine, The Guardian has reported, citing sources in European intelligence services.
Source: European Pravda citing The Guardian
Details: European security services said that the campaign has targeted key officials at Euroclear, the securities depository that holds most of Russia's frozen assets, as well as senior Belgian politicians.
The Guardian's sources believe Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate, also known as GRU, is responsible, although there is disagreement over the level of threat.
"They have been engaged in the tactics of intimidation for sure," one European official said.
The Guardian says threats have been made against Euroclear chief executive Valérie Urbain. Le Monde reported in November that she had been accompanied by a bodyguard for more than a year.
Euroclear declined to comment, saying that "any potential threats are treated with the utmost priority and investigated deeply, often with the support of authorities as appropriate". The office of Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever also declined to comment.
Background:
- Politico has reported earlier that at the latest EU talks at the ambassador level, Belgium said there had been no progress towards a joint decision on using Russian assets to fund Ukraine.
- Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on 16 December that the chances of a decision being adopted or not adopted were equal.
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