Accused Russian spy asked ADF how quickly she could progress

Accused Russian spy Kira Korolev asked how quickly she could progress to the rank of officer when seeking career advice from the Australian Defence Force eight years ago.

Accused Russian spy Kira Korolev asked how soon her husband might join her and how quickly she could progress to the rank of officer when seeking career advice from the Australian Defence Force eight years ago.

In questions posted to the ADF Careers page, Kira questioned “how long (will we) be apart”, with the ADF employee taking her question to mean that her co-accused husband also wanted to join the military.

Kira, a 40-year-old army information systems technician, and her husband Igor, 62, had been living in the Brisbane suburb of Everton Park for several years when they became the first in Australia to be charged with new espionage offences.

The pair, who were charged last week following a protracted investigation by the Australian Federal Police and ASIO, face a maximum 15 years in jail if convicted.

The AFP has alleged Kira secretly travelled to Russia during extended leave from the ADF and had instructed her husband how to log onto her work account in order to send her information.

Igor and Kira Korolev.

The AFP has stressed that despite this, “no significant compromises” occurred.

The Korolevs had been living in Australia for more than a decade, having spent seven years in Perth, two years in Melbourne and then some time in the Murray River town of Wodonga before moving to Brisbane.

Property records show the pair bought a two-bedroom unit on Flockton St, in Everton Park, three years ago.

In June, 2016, Kira posted questions on an ADF Careers Facebook account – which later featured her as a “poster girl” for the army – about her career path.

“Hi ladies. Is it possible to join as a general entry and after two/three years apply for an officer position? Thanks,” she wrote in a question and answer post.

“Hi Kira – absolutely and it is great that you are thinking about this as an option!” an ADF signals officer responded.

“You will have to go through a selection process for officer if you are an enlisted member, so if you already have your year 12 results and you want to become an officer, you should go for it! Contact your nearest recruiting centre for more details.”

Kira Korolev asked about progression on an ADH careers page.

The accused spy thanked the signals officer for a quick response before asking a second question.

“One more question from me,” she wrote. “When does my husband can join me (sic), after initial military training or only after employment training? How long we might be apart? Thank you!”

It is not clear whether Kira was asking about whether her husband might also join the ADF or if she was speaking in general terms about being able to see him.

However, the ADF employee responded to the former.

“After military training, he will then need to do the employment training,” the person wrote.

“Then after that he will get his first posting, then you will be reunited again.”

Kira documented her time in Australia through a travel-themed YouTube channel.

She posted videos in Russian documenting her exploration of every Australian state, including various cities with military bases – like Darwin, Canberra and Townsville and even Woomera in outback South Australia.

In one video, while exploring Australia’s 5600km dingo fence, Kira tells her 8000 subscribers there are “no machine gunners” and “no army” guarding the structure.

During the footage, a photo of the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap – Australia’s most secretive intelligence facility near Alice Springs – flashes on screen.

Many of her videos show her panning for gold around Queensland and other parts of the country.