Media: Russia installed multiple 'spy antennas' on its embassy in Moldova.

The Russian embassy in Chisinau has 28 "spy antennas" installed on its rooftop, which can be used for signals intelligence purposes, the Moldovan Jurnal outlet reported[1] on July 24. According to experts interviewed by the news outlet, such devices can "capture" signals between a transmitter and a receiver with the possibility to modify them before releasing them again, Jurnal wrote. These signals can come from radio, television, mobile networks, or satellite communications.

According to experts interviewed by Jurnal, such devices could be used for either military or civilian purposes. Jurnal's investigation revealed that the satellite dishes on Chisinau's embassy are likely connected to a command center inside the building. The rotating of the dishes indicates they transmit data to Russian satellites.

In a joint investigation project "Espiomats," European journalists have previously identified[2] 182 similar satellite dishes installed on the rooftops of Russian embassies across Europe, designed to collect signals intelligence (SIGINT). These surveillance devices allegedly allow Russia to deal with the expulsions of Russian diplomats, often reported as spies, according to the Dossier Center. Some 17 Russian antennas have been discovered in Brussels, Belgium, which hosts the headquarters of NATO and the EU.

Prior to Jurnal's own investigation, this has been the largest number discovered in a single European city. Eight devices have been uncovered by journalists in Berlin and three in Paris, Le Monde reported[3].

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News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He also volunteers as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukrainer.

Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

References

1. ^ reported (www.jurnal.md)
2. ^ identified (vsquare.org)
3. ^ reported (www.lemonde.fr)
4. ^ Investigative Stories from Ukraine: Russia spies in EU with its embassies' satellite dishes, media findWelcome to Investigative Stories from Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent's newsletter that walks you through the most prominent investigations of the past week.

   If you are fond of in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption and abuse of power across state organizations in Ukraine and beyond,... (kyivindependent.com)