Queensland Couple Kira and Igor Korolev Charged with Espionage for Russia Under 2018 Laws

Jul 12, 2024, 08:00 AM

Australian authorities have arrested and charged a Russian-born married couple, Kira and Igor Korolev, with espionage. The couple, who have lived in Queensland, Australia for over a decade, allegedly obtained Australian Defence Force (ADF) material with the intention of sharing it with Russian authorities. The wife, Kira Korolev, 40, an information systems technician in the Australian Army, is accused of secretly traveling to Russia and instructing her husband, Igor Korolev, 62, to access classified information from their Brisbane home. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) conducted the investigation. This case marks the first charges under Australia's updated espionage laws enacted in 2018. The couple appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court and were denied bail.