Australian Defence Force Private and Spouse Accused of Spying for Russia
A pair of Australian citizens of Russian descent have been apprehended and indicted in the nation on charges of espionage in favor of Russia as part of an elaborate law enforcement initiative known as BURGAZADA.
This comprises a woman aged 40, a Private in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and her spouse, a 62-year-old self-employed worker. Reports from the media have identified them as Kira Korolev and Igor Korolev, respectively, mentioning that they have resided in Australia for more than ten years.
The married duo was apprehended at their residence in the Everton Park suburb of Brisbane on July 11, 2024, as mentioned in a statement by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The charges against them include one count each of preparing for an espionage offense, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
“This is the first instance of an espionage offense being filed in Australia since the enactment of new laws by the Commonwealth in 2018,” stated the AFP officials.
The federal law enforcement agency has accused the couple of collaborating to obtain confidential information after the woman traveled to Russia while on extended leave from the ADF since 2023.
It is claimed that she directed her spouse, who stayed in Australia, to log into her official work account and instructed him to retrieve specific data and forward it directly to her personal email while she was abroad.
Despite the specific documents accessed not being disclosed, the AFP stated they were relevant to Australian national security interests. An inquiry into the handover of information to Russia is still ongoing.
“Espionage is a covert offense, and in a period of global uncertainty, nation states have intensified their efforts to obtain data held by Western democracies, including Australia,” commented AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw.
“Espionage does not have innocent victims. It has the ability to impact Australia’s autonomy, security, and way of life.”
The arrests represent the third instance of individuals being accused of espionage or foreign intervention offenses since they were included in the Criminal Code Act 1995.
In April of the previous year, a man aged 55 from New South Wales was accused of sharing details about “Australian defense, economic, and national security arrangements” with two individuals linked to a foreign intelligence agency suspected of carrying out intelligence gathering operations.
Then in the final days of February 2024, a 68-year-old individual from Melbourne was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for attempting to exert influence on a Federal legislator on behalf of a foreign government.
Mike Burgess, Chief of Security overseeing the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), asserted that the persistent threat of espionage is “real,” stressing that “numerous nations are striving to pilfer Australia’s secrets.”
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