An Australian army private and her husband, accused of spying for Russia, were denied bail on Friday, marking the first charges against suspected operatives under Australia’s broad espionage laws introduced in 2018.
Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor Korolev, 62, both Russian-born Australian citizens holding Russian passports, did not appear in person at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. They were represented by lawyers facing charges of preparing for an espionage offence.
They did not enter pleas and are scheduled to appear next in a federal court on September 20. Their legal representatives made no public statements.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw had previously informed journalists that the couple allegedly collaborated to access Australian Defence Force material related to national security interests.
“We allege they sought that information with the intention of passing it to Russian authorities. Whether the information was actually handed over remains a key focus of our investigation,” Kershaw stated.
Kershaw noted that no significant compromise had been identified so far. Australia’s intelligence sharing partners in the Five Eyes alliance, the United States, Britain, Canada, and New Zealand, can be assured that Australian authorities will continue to identify and disrupt espionage activities.
While this couple are the first suspected operatives to face charges under the updated espionage laws, Australian security forces have previously thwarted alleged Russian spies in recent years.
Last year, Australia reportedly expelled a significant Russian spy network comprising embassy and consular staff, as well as other operatives using covert identities.
Police arrested the Korolevs at their residence in Brisbane on Thursday. The woman works as an information systems technician in the Australian Defence Force, while her husband is self-employed as a labourer. They migrated to Australia over a decade ago, with the woman becoming a citizen in 2016 and her husband in 2020.
According to police, the woman covertly travelled to Russia in 2023 during an extended leave from her military duties. Meanwhile, her husband allegedly accessed her work account from their Brisbane home to transmit classified information requested by her in Russia.
Mike Burgess, the Secretary-General of Security at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), declined to disclose how authorities were alerted to the situation. However, he credited the heightened security awareness within the Australian Defence Force for enabling early intervention and control of the operation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed confidence in Australia’s security agencies’ ability to counter the growing espionage threat. He cited the recent contract extensions of both Burgess and Kershaw as evidence of his trust in their capabilities.
The Defence Department declined to answer inquiries from The Associated Press, including details about the private’s specific role and recruitment timeline, citing ongoing legal proceedings and privacy obligations.
Allegations of this gravity typically result in the suspension of service personnel and immediate revocation of access to military bases, as well as information and communications technology systems, according to a statement from the Defence Department.
Each defendant faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years if convicted of the charges. Should sufficient evidence emerge that the information was shared with Russia, the charges could be upgraded, carrying potential maximum sentences of 25 years to life imprisonment upon conviction.
The Russian Embassy in Australia did not respond immediately to the AP’s request for comment on Friday.
Last year, Russia accused Australia of “Russophobic hysteria” after the Australian government cancelled the lease on a plot of land where Moscow had planned to build its new embassy. Australia deemed the location too close to Parliament House, posing a security risk.
Burgess warned foreign intelligence operatives that Australian authorities would support prosecutions whenever possible.
While this couple are the first to face charges under the espionage provisions of the 2018 laws, two Australians have been charged with offences related to foreign interference under the same suite of security reforms, aimed at countering Chinese influence on Australian government policy.
Justin Bassi, former national security adviser to the government responsible for drafting the 2018 reforms, described the espionage charges as significant. He now serves as Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, emphasising that the effectiveness of these laws is more about deterrence than sheer quantity of cases prosecuted.
Nancy Mbamalu
AP NEWS
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