Two Australians charged with espionage for conspiring to pass Australian military secrets to Russia
Kyiv • UNN
Two Australian citizens of Russian descent were accused of preparing to commit espionage by gaining access to Australian Armed Forces materials with the intent to pass them on to the Russian authorities.
Two Australian citizens of Russian descent have been accused of receiving Australian Defense Force materials for transfer to the Russian authorities, UNN reports with reference to the Australian ABC.
Details
The Australian Federal Police arrested 40-year-old Kira Koroleva, a private in the Australian Defense Force, and 62-year-old Igor Korolev at their home in Everton Park, a suburb of Brisbane.
The couple is charged with one count of preparation for espionage, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
This is the first case of espionage charges since the laws on foreign interference were passed in 2018.
Police claim that the woman made an unannounced trip to Russia while on long-term leave from the country's defense forces, where she allegedly instructed her husband on how to log into his work account and access materials to send to her.
Prior to the alleged crime, the couple had been in Australia for over a decade.
The police claim that the couple made the request for information with the intention of handing it over to the Russian authorities - whether it was actually handed over is still the subject of the Operation BURGAZADA investigation.
The indictment alleged that Korolev "maintained relations with members or branches of the special services of the Russian Federation" in order to exchange information.
It was mentioned separately that the Korolevs did not ask for bail, and the consideration of their cases was postponed until September 20.
How someone with a security clearance was able to travel to Russia will also be part of the ongoing investigation.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had been "briefed in detail" on the matter by Australian security agencies and said he would not comment on the situation, except to say that the country's security agencies were doing a good job.
The police indicated that additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.
The more serious crime of espionage requires a direct provable connection with a foreign state, which carries a penalty of 25 years to life imprisonment.
Australian Defense Force Commissioner Reece Kershaw said that espionage crimes are not without victims. "This can affect Australia's sovereignty, security and way of life," - Kershaw said.
The head of the country's intelligence service, Mike Burgess, said that espionage is not a "fancy" concept and can have "catastrophic consequences in the real world." "Espionage is real. Many countries are looking to steal Australia's secrets," Burgess said.