Australian Army private and her husband charged with espionage after allegedly stealing documents for Russia
An Australian soldier and her husband have faced court charged with espionage after allegedly stealing documents to share with Russia, ASIO has announced.
An Australian Defence Force army private and her husband have become the first Australians to be charged with espionage since 2018 after allegedly working together to leak state secrets to Russia.
Kira Korolev, who was employed with the ADF as an information systems technician for “several years”, was allegedly undertaking non-declared travel to Russia while on leave from the ADF and instructed her husband Igor Korolev – who remained in Australia – to log into her work account from their Brisbane home, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw announced on Friday morning.
The Australian Federal Police will allege the couple worked together to access ADF material related to Australia’s national security interests.
Ms Korolev had her matters briefly mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
AFP barrister Dylan Kerr made an urgent non-publication order on the suppression of names connected to the investigation, excluding the co-accused.
The application was not opposed by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions or Ms Korolev’s legal aid solicitor.
Magistrate Ross Mack questioned if he had to read the application because that would mean it would be “one less person who knows about” the details involved.
Mr Kerr said the application required an exercise of discretion by the court.
Mr Mack granted the application.
Commonwealth DPP prosecutor Rachel Taylor said the charge against Ms Korolev was “a serious one”.
Court documents seen by NewsWire allege Ms Korolev had intentionally engaged in conduct in Brisbane and the Russian Federation which included unlawfully providing access to defence computer systems to her husband, who had no lawful basis to access those systems between December 6, 2022 and July 11, 2024.
Ms Korolev and Mr Korolev both allegedly unlawfully accessed, copied and disseminated information from the Department of Defence computer systems that concerned the national security of Australia, according to court documents.
The Commonwealth will also allege the married couple maintained a relationship with members of affiliates of the Russian Federation Intelligence Services for purposes of providing the information she had illegally obtained from the Department of Defence.
Ms Korolev and Mr Korolev allegedly carried out these acts with the intention of preparing for or planning an offence providing the obtained national security information to the intelligence services of government of the Russian Federation.
Ms Taylor said she required more time to prepare the full brief of evidence given the search warrant was only executed on Friday.
Ms Korolev did not apply for bail on Friday and her matter was adjourned to September 20 or further mention.
Wearing a prison-issued green shirt, navy trousers and appearing barefoot in court, Mr Korolev’s matter was also briefly mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
Mr Mack adjourned the matter to September 20, to join his wife’s matters.
A Russian interpreter was used during court proceedings for Mr Korolev’s matter to assist him in understanding the court’s instructions.
The Commonwealth will allege Ms Korolev and her husband worked together to leak state secrets to Russia.
They were both charged with one count each of preparing for an espionage offence.
“We allege her husband would access requested material and would send it to his wife in Russia. We allege they sought that information with the intention of providing it to Russian authorities,” Mr Kershaw said.
“Whether that information was handed over remains a key focus of our investigation.”
The couple had been living in Everton Park for a couple of years before the AFP issued a search warrant on Thursday.
One man said he had only met the couple through his work in the building.
“They just seemed normal, seemed like they’d had a strict upbringing and everything had to be how they wanted it,” he said.
“Every communication I had with them was pleasant, it was fine.”
However, during routine fire door repair work on the apartment, the man said the couple had been reluctant to let him access the unit past the front door.
“Which is fine, I don’t go wandering through people’s apartment anyway,” he said.
“With fire door repairs, we’re at the front door for a reason with body corporate.”
Neighbour Nick Drury, who lived in the same complex as the couple, said while he didn’t know them it was “pretty wild” to learn they were allegedly spying for Russia.
Mr Drury said the AFP had arrived on Thursday at the complex, which houses 75 units.
“They were here yesterday and we had no idea what was going on,” he said.
“We’d seen the cars out the front but that was it.”
The couple, who had Russian passports, have reportedly been in Australia for more than 10 years, with the woman having obtained Australian citizenship in 2016, followed by her husband in 2020.
Mr Kershaw said “there was some misleading on her behalf of where she was allegedly at and in what country”.
The pair are the first Australians to be charged with espionage since new laws were introduced in 2018.
The AFP arrested the couple on Thursday morning at their Everton Park home in Brisbane.
They have been charged with one count each of preparing for an espionage offence and will appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment.
Mr Kershaw said “no significant compromise” had been identified following the AFP’s disruption of the alleged crime but warned Australians against committing espionage crimes.
“Espionage is not a victimless crime and it is certainly growing. It has the potential to impact on Australia’s sovereignty, safety and way of life,” he said.
“My direct warning is we know who you are, you are likely already exposed. You will get a knock on your door and it will be either from someone wearing this patch on their shoulder or from one of our other national security agencies.
“You will face embarrassment and potentially a very lengthy term of imprisonment.”
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike Burgess said “multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia’s secrets” and emphasised ASIO is “on the case”.
“Espionage is not some quaint notion, espionage damages our economy and degrades our strategic advantage. It has catastrophic real-world consequences,” he said.
“Foreign intelligence services are capable, determined and patient. They play the long game. The problem for them is ASIO does too.”
Mr Burgess also took the opportunity to speak directly to operatives of Russian intelligence services while mentioning the 1954 defections of Soviet spies Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov to Australia.
“This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Petrov defections,” he said.
“Two Russian spies gave ASIO and our closest allies the name of Russian assets in Western countries. If you want to share your secrets, please reach out. ASIO is always listening.”
He acknowledged the AFP, ASIO, and the counter-foreign interference task force teams for the “lengthy and complex” investigation before adding he wouldn’t comment on the investigation further.
“I appreciate the charges have not been tested in a court and we must respect the presumption of innocence,” he said.
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