An Australian army private and her husband have been charged with spying for Russia.
Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor Korolev, 62, are accused of working together to “access Australian Defense Force material that related to Australia's national security interests."
The Russian-born pair, who are Australian citizens, were denied bail on Friday on the first charges against suspected operatives under Australia's sweeping espionage laws enacted in 2018.
They did not appear in person and were represented by lawyers in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on a charge each of preparing for an espionage offence.
They did not enter pleas and will appear next in a federal court on September 20.
Police claim Ms Korolev, an Australian Defence Force information systems technician, secretly travelled to Russia in 2023 while on extended leave from the military.
They allege her husband, a labourer, then accessed the woman's work account from their Brisbane home and sent requested classified information to her in Russia.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw told reporters: “We allege they sought that information with the intention of providing it to Russian authorities.
“Whether that information was handed over remains a key focus of our investigation.”
Police arrested the Korolevs at their Brisbane home on Thursday.
The couple moved to Australia more than a decade ago and became Australian citizens in 2016 and 2020 respectively.
The charge against each defendant carries a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison if either is convicted.
If sufficient evidence was found that the information had been shared with Russia, the charges could be upgraded and the potential maximum prison terms upon conviction would be 25 years or life.
It comes after Australia quietly expelled a large Russian spy ring comprising embassy and consular staff as well as other operatives using deep-cover identities last year.
Russia last year also accused Australia of "Russophobic hysteria" for cancelling the lease on land where Moscow wanted to build its new embassy.
The Australian government judged the site to be a security risk because it was too close to Parliament House.
