Austrian Diplomat Suspected of Transferring Secret Information on Novichok

A criminal investigation has been launched against Johannes Peterlik, the former Secretary General of Austria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was reported by Kurier.

He is suspected of passing secret information regarding Novichok to Jan Marsalek, a former top manager of the Wirecard payment system. At the same time, Marsalek himself is considered an agent of the Russian special services.

Peterlik, who was recently the ambassador to Indonesia, was dismissed in mid-October. The Vienna prosecution is now investigating the case under charges of abuse of official authority and violation of state secrets.

According to the publication, Marsalek boasted to some bankers in London that he had obtained documents from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) that were prepared in London after the poisoning of Sergey Skripal, which included, among other things, the formula for Novichok. An analysis of the incident has indicated that the leak may have occurred through the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.