Anthony Albanese called on Russia to “stand back” and said he found it “despicable” after its embassy accused security chiefs of fuelling “anti-Russian paranoia” over an alleged spy pair accused of trying to access classified defence information.
Two Russian-born Australians, Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor, 62, were arrested in dramatic scenes on Thursday over an alleged espionage plot targeting the Department of Defense, with authorities stressing concerns about spying and foreign interference.
The Russian embassy in Canberra on Saturday accused the heads of Australia’s federal police and spy agency of stoking anti-Russian paranoia.
“The press conference by the heads of the AFP and ASIO on 12 July was clearly aimed at launching another wave of anti-Russian paranoia in Australia,” the embassy said in a statement.
‘Theatrical tricks were used, such as talking to imaginary “Russian spies” who were supposed to be everywhere.’
But the Prime Minister said Russia had no credibility and was conducting espionage all over the world.
“Russia may get the message: stand down,” Albanese said Saturday.
‘How about they leave Ukraine and stop the illegal and immoral war they are involved in and try to stop interfering in the internal affairs of other sovereign nations?
Anthony Albanese (pictured) has called on Russia to “stand back” and said he found it “despicable” after his embassy accused security chiefs of fuelling “anti-Russian paranoia” over an alleged spy couple accused of trying to access classified defence information.
“(Russia) is a country that does not respect international law and they should be treated with contempt, which is how I feel about them.”
The embassy has requested to be informed in writing about the situation and status of the arrested duo and will consider appropriate measures of consular assistance.
Mr Albanese said he remained confident in the selection processes of Australia’s national security agencies.
“The threats against us are mild,” he said.
“They are constantly trying to find ways to compromise and harm our national interest, and that is why our agencies make sure to constantly monitor their performance.”
Two Russian-born Australians, Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor (pictured centre), 62, were arrested in dramatic scenes on Thursday over an alleged espionage plot targeting the Department of Defence.
The couple have been charged with one count each of preparation for espionage, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The charges against them are eerily reminiscent of the television series The Americans, about two Russian undercover agents operating in Washington DC during the final years of the Cold War, posing as an ordinary suburban couple.
Australia has become more attractive to Russian spy agencies as Canberra steps up security collaboration with the United States after signing the AUKUS deal, ANU National Security College senior adviser William Stoltz said.
“We’ve also been a key player in the international sanctions regime against Russia, so they’ll be looking to understand the military technology that we have in development, but perhaps even other ways in which we seek to support Ukraine.”
The fact that army soldier Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor, 62, became the first people charged under a 2018 national security law shows the system was working, the national security expert said.
The two Australians, who hold Russian passports, remain in police custody after neither of them applied for bail in a Brisbane court on Friday.
The Australian Federal Police said there was no ongoing threat.
Police allege the army soldier visited Russia on long-term leave in 2023 and trained her husband to access defence information via a computer.
Investigations into whether information was passed on are continuing, and there is a possibility that the charges could be upgraded from preparation for espionage to a full-blown espionage offence.
The couple arrived in Australia about 10 years ago before becoming citizens a few years later.
Police are investigating whether their alleged links to Russia predate their arrival or whether they were allegedly expelled after arriving in Australia.
Police allege that army soldier Kira Korolev visited Russia on long-term leave in 2023 and trained her husband to access defence information via a computer.
Dr Stoltz said the pair would have been monitored for some time as there was a tendency within the intelligence community to “let things play out for a while to fully identify the network the target is connected to and what information they are trying to obtain”.
On Friday, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess revealed that the couple had been Australian citizens since 2016 for the wife and 2020 for the husband.
He had served in the Australian Army for “several years” as an information systems technician, he said.
It is the first time espionage charges have been brought since federal laws were introduced in 2018.
