Mystery surrounds alleged Russian infiltration of Czech army command

A Czech newspaper has claimed three generals were forced to leave the army in 2009 after the security services found their offices had been infiltrated by a Russian spy. The daily Mlada Fronta Dnes claimed in a front-page exclusive on Wednesday that a female major working for all three men had been befriended by the spy, although her role in the affair remains unclear.

Josef Prokš, Josef Sedlák, František Hrabal

Details are thin, as officials traditionally refuse to comment on such cases. The three generals who left the army last year are banned from talking under the terms of a confidentiality clause, and neither the defence ministry nor the intelligence services have provided any detailed information.

Mlada Fronta Dnes, citing 'a trustworthy source', alleges the three men – Josef Prokš, the former deputy chief of staff, František Hrabal, the former head of President Václav Klaus` military office, and Josef Sedlák, the former Czech representative to NATO command headquarters – were forced to resign after it emerged that a female major working for them was in close contact with a Russian intelligence agent.

According to Mlada Fronta Dnes the woman – who has not been named - had struck up a friendship with a Czech of Russian origin working as a psychologist in an unnamed Czech institution. The Czech counter-intelligence service believes the man – named only as Robert R. – was a Russian spy. He has since fled to Russia.

Only General Sedlák agreed to speak to the newspaper, complaining of his anger that the security services hadn’t informed him of their suspicions. Instead, he said, the intelligence service had him followed 'like a rogue' for five years.

As for the woman herself, it is unclear whether she knew her friend was working for Russian intelligence, or indeed whether she provided any useful information to him. She has since left the army and is currently abroad.

Czech intelligence says there is increasing Russian spy activity in the Czech Republic. There was a spike in activity when Prague agreed to host elements of the U.S. missile defence system, although that has since been abandoned.

Russia is also very interested in the Czech energy sector, with Russia's Atomstroyexport among three bidders to expand the country's largest nuclear power plant, Temelín.

Last year the Czech Republic expelled two Russian diplomats, including a deputy to the military attache, on suspicions of spying.