NATO expels 8 ‘undeclared’ Russian intelligence officers

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO has expelled 8 members of Russia’s mission to the military alliance saying that they were secretly working as intelligence officers and cut the size of Moscow’s team able to work at its headquarters. A NATO official said Wednesday that “ we can confirm that we have withdrawn the accreditation of eight members of the Russian Mission to NATO, who were undeclared Russian intelligence officers.” The official was speaking under customary condition of anonymity and cannot be named in public. NATO also reduced the number of positions that Russia can accredit people for at the organization down to 10, the official said. No immediate clear explanation was given for the decision.