Moscow's ears in Belgium
#thread
#NATO headquarters, EU Commission and centre of important lobbying organisations. Brussels is a strategically important target for Russian espionage. But Moscow's embassy and two cultural facilities have another mission 1/7
The Russian Embassy in the Uccle district in Brussels is large. There are many buildings on the premises. The roof of a residential building and the main building are particularly eye-catching. 17 satellite dishes (red), different antennas (green) and 5 #sigint sheds (yellow) 2/7
The multi-storey residential building in particular stands out with its spy technology. Both buildings on Bing Maps Birdseye 3/7
As has already been observed on other Russian embassies in the EU: the satellite dishes on the two buildings seem to be very flexible. Google Timelaps (03/2021) shows very precisely the different positions of the dishes 4/7
Western intelligence services see the Russian cultural institutions in Brussels as a kind of pack up for espionage. The technology on the roofs of the two facilities in 7, rue Lesbroussart and 21, rue du Méridien speak for themselves. Google Timelaps 04/2020 and 03/2021. 5/7
The Centre culturel et scientifique de Russie à Bruxelles is part of the Russian Foreign Ministry. It is considered a covert spy base. Both buildings on Bing Maps Birdseye 6/7
Belgium expelled 21 „diplomats“, including seven technicians. The Belgian intelligence services are well aware of the #sigint capacities on the embassy premises. They specifically wanted to weaken that by expelling the „Nerds“. More details 7/7👇 tijd.be/politiek-econo…
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