• Australian soldier charged with spying for Russia
• Kira Korolev and her husband Igor Korolev have been arrested and charged with spying for Russia
• The couple, both Russian-born Australian citizens, allegedly obtained Australian Defence Force (ADF) materials to share with Moscow
• Australian police have stated that there has been “no significant compromise” of military secrets
• This case marks the first use of Australia’s stricter foreign interference laws
• Kira, a 40-year-old army private, and Igor, a 62-year-old self-employed labourer, face up to 15 years in jail if convicted

Australian soldier charged with spying for Russia

An Australian soldier, Kira Korolev, and her husband Igor Korolev have been arrested and charged with spying for Russia. The couple, both Russian-born Australian citizens, allegedly obtained Australian Defence Force (ADF) materials to share with Moscow. However, Australian police have stated that there has been “no significant compromise” of military secrets.

This case marks the first use of Australia’s stricter foreign interference laws, introduced in 2018, to lay espionage charges. Kira, a 40-year-old army private, and Igor, a 62-year-old self-employed labourer, face up to 15 years in jail if convicted. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he had been briefed extensively on the matter but refrained from commenting further as the case is now before the courts.

World’s smartest Russian spy plot uncovered. Kira and Igor Korolev joined the Australian Defence Force after obtaining citizenship like 5 years ago. They logged into their official ADF accounts to try obtain information to sell to Russia pic.twitter.com/6ANKpmr4uE

— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) July 12, 2024

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed that Kira, an information systems technician with security clearance, allegedly travelled to Russia while on leave from the ADF. She then instructed Igor to access her work account and send sensitive material to Russia. The investigation is ongoing to determine if any material was delivered and if the charges could be upgraded.

Both Commissioner Kershaw and Australia’s spy agency chief, Mike Burgess, emphasised the ongoing threat of espionage. Burgess stated, “Multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia’s secrets. We cannot be naive, and we cannot be complacent.” The ADF affirmed it is aware of the arrest and takes all security breaches seriously.