Vienna finds Russian Embassy roof fans were unapproved

Noise from two roof fans at the Russian Embassy in Vienna was caused by an unapproved installation, ORF reported on Monday. The Foreign Ministry has now been informed and is expected to ask the embassy to address the problem through diplomatic channels.

A measurement by Vienna’s building police last week found that the persistent humming came from two fans on the roof of the embassy building on Reisnerstrasse. The city’s health service confirmed on Friday that the noise, which has continued for months, poses a health risk.

Residents in Vienna’s third district continue to complain about the disturbance, which has repeatedly disrupted their sleep. During an ORF Vienna visit, residents described the sound as high-pitched or like a generator.

Some residents have speculated that the noise could have a broader intelligence-related purpose. However, historian and intelligence researcher Dieter Bacher told ORF’s Vienna Today programme that the matter should first be examined carefully before such a conclusion is drawn.

The authorities face a difficulty in investigating the installation directly. Austrian officials cannot simply enter the embassy premises because they are under Russian control. Several ORF Vienna inquiries to the Russian Embassy have gone unanswered.

Vienna’s MA 37, the authority responsible for the matter, informed the Foreign Ministry on Monday afternoon. The ministry must now approach the embassy through diplomatic channels to seek a solution.