The new spy thriller currently unfolding in Alexandroupolis does not seem to be an isolated case

In particular, Russian diplomacy has been accused many times in the past of attempting to weave a plan to influence Greek officials centered on the border city of Alexandroupolis.

According to the country's secret services, the Russian plan aimed to simultaneously influence public opinion and local Greek officials in the border city, as well as other major cities in Northern Greece, in order to constitute a bulwark against NATO's plans against the Russian arm in the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

Alexandroupolis held a prominent position in the case, as the city's port is a key and integral part of NATO operations to transport personnel and vehicles to the military installations of the Euro-Atlantic alliance in the Eastern European countries neighboring Ukraine.

Alexandroupolis, due to its strategic location in the Aegean and good road and rail connections, is a critical hub for NATO and the energy security of the region, with a significant American presence and regular calls by warships at its port.

In 2018, the British newspaper Financial Times published an article that placed Alexandroupolis at the center of the activities of Russian diplomats with the aim of promoting Russia's interests in the region, specifically mentioning attempts to influence officials of the city's port with the aim of torpedoing strategic partnerships with NATO.

According to the publication, in a city with high unemployment, at that time and political disillusionment, there were cases where relatively small amounts (20,000-30,000 euros) could buy support, a fact that suggested, when reading the newspaper, coordinated efforts to manipulate local actors.

Specifically, the Financial Times report highlighted Russia's efforts to influence local officials to prevent further strengthening of NATO's presence in the port, which is developing into an energy and strategic hub, with projects such as the IGB pipeline, LNG terminals and other infrastructure that enhance the geopolitical importance of the region

The expulsion of Russian diplomats for their actions in Alexandroupolis
What is interesting is that in the same year, Greece proceeded to expel two Russian diplomats and ban two others from entering, accusing them of illegal actions that threatened the country's national security. According to information from high-ranking diplomatic sources, the Russian diplomats were indeed accused of attempted espionage and trafficking of information, as well as of attempting to bribe state officials, focusing, among other things, on the port of Alexandroupolis, which is of strategic importance for NATO and the energy security of the region.

This move by Athens was not surprising, but was a response to coordinated efforts to expand Russian influence in Greece, which were considered interventionist in the country's internal affairs. The expulsion concerned, according to information, the official of the Russian embassy Viktor Yakovlev and the Russian consul in Thessaloniki A. Popov and a regular "patron" of the Alexandroupolis area.

Moscow's reaction was immediate and included the expulsion of two Greek diplomats from the Russian capital in retaliation. Tensions between the two countries escalated, with the Greek Foreign Ministry describing Russia's reaction as arbitrary and vindictive, stressing that Greece took action only after concrete evidence of illegal activity by Russian diplomats.

This case exposed the deeper geopolitical confrontation in the region, with Alexandroupolis at the center due to its strategic location and importance for NATO, which made the Russian effort to influence particularly critical.

The presence of Russians in Alexandroupolis
The presence of Russian-speaking populations in Alexandroupolis has deep roots dating back to the time when Virginia Tsouderou, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Konstantinos Mitsotakis, decided to transfer the Russian-speaking Greeks of Abkhazia to Alexandroupolis as part of the secret operation codenamed “the Golden Fleece”.

The plan was simple: the Greek diaspora who would stay in the Thrace region would change the population balance between the Christian populations and the 

n Muslim minority that has just gained full rights. However, the years passed and the Russian presence in Alexandroupolis was strengthened through a series of activities and movements aimed at consolidating Russian influence in the region.

The regular visits of the Russian consul Alexei Popov
The expelled Alexei Popov, former Russian consul in Thessaloniki, was one of the central figures of the Russian diplomatic presence in the region through his frequent visits to Alexandroupolis. His action was completely connected to the efforts to expand Russian influence in the region through a peculiar mechanism that included cultural and diplomatic initiatives, but also through networking with local actors.

During the period in question, there were many travel missions with the aim of twinning Russian and Greek cities in Northern Greece, organized by Popov with the final destination being Russia and with local figures of the region as honorary guests. In fact, according to local press reports, the "key" to Popov's successful presence in the city was his cooperation with Konstantinos Gabaerides, honorary consul of Russia in the region.

The local Metropolitan's relations with the Russian figure and the ahistorical monument in favor of the Russians
Of particular interest is the fact that the local Metropolitan of Alexandroupolis, Anthimos, in the past took the lead in the development of Greek-Russian relations, holding numerous meetings with Russian officials and proceeding with the construction of Russian monuments and the establishment of churches in the city.