NATO announced Wednesday that it had

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Brussels (AFP)

withdrawn their accreditation from eight members of the Russian mission to the Alliance, calling them “undeclared Russian intelligence officers”, that is to say spies.

A NATO official said that “we can also confirm that we have reduced the number of positions the Russian Federation can accredit to NATO to 10” from 20 previously.

“We can confirm that we have withdrawn the accreditation of 8 members of the Russian mission to NATO, who were undeclared Russian intelligence officers,” the official told AFP, confirming information reported for the first time by the British Sky News.

“NATO’s policy towards Russia remains consistent. We have stepped up our job function email database deterrence and defense in response to Russia’s aggressive actions, while remaining open to constructive dialogue,” said the official, who declined to comment. to be named.

The decision to halve the Russian mission will come into effect at the end of the month and has reportedly been approved by all 30 NATO member countries.

Russia has long had an observer mission to NATO as part of a two-decade NATO-Russia Council to promote cooperation in common security areas, but it is not a member of the Russian Federation. ‘United States-led Alliance.