Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès (MR) announced last week in the Chamber the decision to expel 21 Russian diplomats from Belgium for their involvement in espionage and influence operations threatening the security of the country. The minister gave no details on the identity of the 21 Russians concerned, but De Standaard learned that one of them is the consul general Georgy Kuznetsov. He should take, with others, a flight towards Moscow this weekend.
Georgy Kuznetsov is a well-known figure in Antwerp. He maintains good contacts with several high Flemish dignitaries. On January 26, the Flemish MP Filip Dewinter (Vlaams Belang) notably published on Twitter a photo of him alongside Georgy Kuznetsov in the Flemish Parliament. At that time, the deputy still openly displayed his sympathy for Russia and Vladimir Putin. Captioning the photo, he wrote: “Anti-Putin and anti-Russia smear does not help us. Neutrality is the ‘message’. Russia is our ally. Not an enemy.”
Filip Dewinter had also invited the Russian consul general on March 10 as a speaker for the Hertogfonds, an Antwerp non-profit organization which promotes “Flemish culture and European civilisation”. But the intervention had been canceled due to the beginning of the Russian invasion. Since then, he has not displayed his sympathy for Putin.
In January, Georgy Kuznetsov also had official contacts with the governor of Antwerp Cathy Berx (CD&V). His meetings were not limited to the political world. He had also visited the port of Zeebrugge, the dredging company Deme and had met members of the Antwerp local police “to thank them for the surveillance missions at the consulate”.
According to the intelligence services, Kuznetsov was above all looking for information that could be useful to the Russian regime during his various meetings.