On April 7, 2022, Austria ordered the expulsion of four Russian diplomats—three from the Russian embassy in Vienna and one from a consulate in Salzburg—citing behavior incompatible with diplomatic status, a phrase typically associated with espionage. This action followed similar expulsions by several EU countries in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the international outrage caused by alleged atrocities in Bucha. Unlike other EU states, Austria did not explicitly link the expulsions to the Ukraine war, instead emphasizing diplomatic norm breaches. Vienna hosts a large contingent of Russian diplomats due to hosting international organizations such as the OSCE and UN agencies, with about 65 diplomats working at the embassy alone and overall 160 Russian accredited diplomats and staff in Austria.

On April 7, 2022, Austria ordered the expulsion of four Russian diplomats—three from the Russian embassy in Vienna and one from a consulate in Salzburg—citing behavior incompatible with diplomatic status, a phrase typically associated with espionage. This action followed similar expulsions by several EU countries in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the international outrage caused by alleged atrocities in Bucha. Unlike other EU states, Austria did not explicitly link the expulsions to the Ukraine war, instead emphasizing diplomatic norm breaches. Vienna hosts a large contingent of Russian diplomats due to hosting international organizations such as the OSCE and UN agencies, with about 65 diplomats working at the embassy alone and overall 160 Russian accredited diplomats and staff in Austria.