Australia charges soldier and her husband with spying for Russia

Kira and Igor Korolev, who migrated from Russia over a decade ago, first people to be charged under new espionage laws enacted in 2018

Australia federal police commissioner Reece Kershaw (AP)

An Australian soldier and her husband have been charged with spying for Russia amid its escalating war in Ukraine.

Army private Kira Korolev, 40, and Igor Korolev, 62, were arrested from their Brisbane home on Thursday.

They were accused of collecting information about the Australian military to share with Moscow.

They were scheduled to appear before a Brisbane court on Friday, said federal police commissioner Reece Kershaw.

The couple migrated from Russia over a decade ago. Ms Korolev became an Australian citizen in 2016 and her husband in 2020.

They are the first Australians to be charged under the country’s sweeping espionage laws enacted in 2018. They face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison if convicted.

Ms Korolev, who was an "information systems technician" in the army, undertook "non-declared" travel to Russia in 2023 while on leave, the police commissioner said.

The husband, a labourer, allegedly accessed Ms Korolev’s work account from their Brisbane home and sent requested classified information to her in Russia.

"We allege her husband would access requested material and would send 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.”

Mike Burgess, director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, said the couple were held after a "lengthy and complex investigation".

If sufficient evidence is found that they indeed shared the classified information with Russia, the charges could be upgraded. In that case, the potential maximum prison sentence upon conviction would be 25 years or life.

Mr Burgess said spying was not a "quaint" notion and could have "catastrophic consequences".

"Espionage is real. Multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia's secrets,” he said.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said he had been "briefed extensively" about the matter and that the charges showed law enforcement agencies were continually vigilant.

It was reported last year that Australia had quietly expelled a suspected Russian spy ring comprising embassy and consular staff.

Moscow last year accused Australia of “Russophobic hysteria” for cancelling the lease on land where it wanted to build a new embassy.

The Australian government judged the site to be a security risk because it was close to parliament.