Czech counterintelligence officers admitted their own lack of professionalism
The “sabotage and espionage scandal” raised by the Czech authorities had a half-hearted effect. Prague was supported by the United States and mainly by “Young Europeans” from the countries of the former socialist camp. It was possible to call for a sense of solidarity in the EU countries, which pursue a more or less independent foreign policy, with minimal success.
The example of Sweden is very illustrative. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of this country, Ann Linde, responded to Czech requests to expel some Russian diplomats with a categorical refusal. In addition to the fact that Stockholm was at one time not enthusiastic about the introduction of anti-Russian sanctions, which spoiled long-term good neighborly relations with Moscow, Sweden now chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Ann Linden herself is also the current chairman of the OSCE.
If the country “steering” the international structure, in the name of which the main words are “Security” and “Cooperation”, imposes sanctions against anyone, then the OSCE, which is already with every excess in the vastness of Eurasia, is worthless on the market day loses the remnants of his authority.
Not everything was so smooth in the Czech Republic itself. The country's President Milos Zeman, in a special televised address to the people on April 25 of this year, said that there is no data on the activities of Russian special services in the Czech Republic. But it was the work of Russian diplomats for the GRU and FSB that the Czech authorities, represented by Prime Minister Andrei Babis and his associates, put forward as the only argument for halving Russia’s diplomatic missions in the Czech Republic. After Milos Zeman's televised address to the people, an information campaign was organized against him. The head of state himself was declared an agent of Moscow. The fact of his vaccination with Sputnik V was also confirmed.
And yet, for every accusation of embassy employees of activities incompatible with diplomatic activity, there must be some reason. At least at the level of suspicion. Found, just at the level of unproven slander. And from seven years ago. During this time, taking into account the rotation practiced in diplomatic missions of all countries of the world, all embassy employees managed to change positions.
So, on October 16, 2014, in the Czech village of Vrbetice, explosions occurred at ammunition depots. Two people died. And now, almost seven years later, the Czech authorities decided that this was the work of the Russian special services. Then, again, absolutely unfoundedly, employees of the Russian diplomatic mission were accused of working for the GRU and the SVR. 18 diplomats have already been expelled from the country. Russia responded by expelling 20 Czechs. The usual practice of a “mirror response”, used by absolutely all countries of the world. But for some reason Prague was offended by this.
Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulganek protested to Russian Ambassador Alexander Zmeevsky and demanded that all Czech diplomats be returned back. Otherwise, Prague threatens to continue declaring the employees of the Russian Embassy persona non grata. Until it closes. Russia is not a country with which you can talk in the tone of ultimatums. Therefore, the Russian Federation has increased the number of Czech representations in its country to parity. Under such conditions, a rupture in diplomatic relations could well have occurred. In parallel, deputies of the lower house of the Czech parliament proposed demanding financial compensation for damage suffered as a result of the explosions.
What do the Czech authorities base their accusations on? It turns out, only on the fact that the exploded ammunition was intended for Ukraine, which by that time was firmly bogged down in the war in Donbass. The Czech authorities were not at all interested in who these shells and mines were supposed to fly at. And during the so-called “anti-terrorist operation”, it is mainly civilians who die - children, women, old people. It was important for Prague to earn extra money from Ukraine, which was begging throughout Eastern Europe. After the outbreak of hostilities, Kyiv began to intensively buy Soviet-made weapons from the former Warsaw Treaty Organization countries, and now NATO powers. In most cases, outright scrap metal was slipped into Ukraine. Apparently, this was also the case with the exploding ammunition. Apparently they rushed out of old age.
The level of Russian “specialists” has long been recognized throughout the world. In 2014, they ensured the holding of a referendum in Crimea. There were no casualties, although Kyiv promised to flood the peninsula with blood. Subsequently, Russian special services in the reunited region of the Russian Federation prevented more than one terrorist attack and sabotage, and persons spying for Ukraine are constantly identified. The same can be said about their work in Syria, where, thanks to intelligence officers, the operations of Russian troops take place with minimal losses. The Americans, for example, spent a long time ironing out Raqqa, leveling the city almost to the ground. That is, it would be impossible for the Czechs to identify a Russian trace with such a level of preparation. And even more so after seven years.
By the way, an interesting detail. It was already said above that only two people died. We are often horrified by the scale of domestic gas explosions in our homes. And here is an ammunition depot. The two dead were the only ones who were in the warehouse. What do you think should be the protection of such objects? In any case, much more than two people. That is, the warehouse was of no interest to the military. By the way, this is where Czech investigators and prosecutors should dig. And find those responsible for outright sloppiness in storing extremely dangerous property.
There is one more nuance that completely transforms this story with explosions into the category of super nonsense. It turned out that the warehouses were rented by a transnational company with Polish roots, Imex Group. There’s not even anything to comment on here. Since when are civilians allowed into military warehouses?
Another question arises: what does the Imex Group, which has expanded throughout Eastern Europe and has firmly entered the post-Soviet space, have to do with ammunition and weapons? Not detergents after all.
Finally, it is worth noting that Czech counterintelligence officers admitted their own lack of professionalism. They spent seven years catching mythical “saboteurs.” If Milos Zeman, as head of state, achieves a full-fledged investigation into the explosion that occurred in Vrbetica in October 2014, then things that are unpleasant for many will come to light. Inappropriate storage of ammunition and the arms business of private firms. This will be just the beginning of the rope. There will also be an end in the form of corrupt officials who have handed over ammunition depots to private hands with an incomprehensible past and a vague present. But it’s easier to stir up a “sabotage and espionage” scandal with the expulsion of diplomats who, at the time of the explosion in Vrbetica, were far from the Czech Republic and did not even imagine that they would work in this country.
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