Secret service chief discusses Russian group bust at lower house

The head of Czechia’s BIS counter-intelligence service, Michal Koudelka, discussed its recent operation to uncover a Russian influence network with members of the lower house’s Security Committee on Thursday. The secret service broke up a Russian group that it said was paying politicians in European Union countries and attempting to influence European Parliament elections.

After Thursday’s in camera meeting the chair of the Security Committee, Pavel Žáček, said other countries were also looking into the matter, among them Poland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany.

On Wednesday the Czech and Belgian prime ministers sent a letter to EU leaders warning against Kremlin attempts to interfere in the European Parliament elections.