Russian embassy accuses Australia of anti-Russian hysteria after alleged foreign interference spy arrest

Russia’s embassy has hit out at last week’s arrest of a 27-year-old man in Brisbane on charges of foreign interference claiming the move by Australian authorities was “taken in the interests of a foreign nation – Ukraine”.

The dual Russian-Australian citizen, identified in court as Vladimir Teslov, was detained in Brisbane’s west following a lengthy investigation led by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Intelligence Security Organisation.

In a media conference last week AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said authorities believed the suspect who resides in Victoria had travelled to Russia in October 2024, where he undertook military-style training before returning to Australia.

“In Australia, it is alleged the man maintained contact with individuals he believed were connected to Russian intelligence services,” Commissioner Barrett told reporters.

He is then alleged to have travelled to Ukraine in May 2025, where he joined the country’s armed forces to gain access to information relating to their military personnel, units and locations.

In a terse statement issued by Russia’s Embassy in Canberra it noted: “the latest chain of events fuelling anti-Russian sentiment in Australia,” describing last week’s arrest as “one of the links in the chain”.

“According to AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett’s statement, the police detained a Russian citizen who did not present any threat to Australia,” the embassy statement said.

“Actually, this action was taken in the interests of a foreign nation — Ukraine. The AFP ‘will allege’ Mr Teslov’s conduct ‘created a risk to the safety and security of Ukrainian military personnel’.”

The Embassy also claimed that “pretexts are being created for raising yet another wave of spy mania and anti-Russian hysteria in Australia”, adding that it “remains concerned about the circumstances surrounding the Teslov case and the broader context in which it has unfolded”.

“We will continue to closely follow the situation and take appropriate action within our competence”.

Last week AFP Commissioner also revealed the suspect was “unemployed”, had not worked for the Australian government there was nothing to suggest that he received any military training in this country.

According to Australian Business Register records uncovered by The Nightly, the Victorian man had his ABN cancelled in late March 2022.

Under Australia’s foreign interference laws, the 27-year-old Victorian man could face a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.

His arrest followed the establishment of the AFP’s “Operation Wood Creeper” in June this year, with national security sources telling The Nightly the matter involved a “complex and lengthy” investigation.

Inside national security circles there is intense discussion about the case which is considered a test case for Australia’s strict new counter foreign interference legislation.

Some national security figures have told The Nightly that Russia would also be closely monitoring the case after Australian man Oscar Jenkins was sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security prison for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said his country was closely following the arrest of Mr Teslov.

“Definitely Australia, along with all other democratic countries, is a target for Russian intelligence. Of course in this case, it was Ukrainian security which was compromised, not Australia, but you never know what else that person could have been doing.”

Three years ago, Russia’s embassy in Canberra was revealed to be operating a “hive of spies”, posing as diplomats, which was uncovered and dismantled by Australia’s domestic intelligence agency ASIO.

A year later authorities arrested two Russian-born Australian citizens, Kira Korolev and her husband, Igor, who were initially charged with preparing for an espionage offence involving sending military secrets to Moscow.

In June the charges against the married couple were upgraded to conspiracy to commit espionage, which could see them jailed for life.

Last November ASIO boss Mike Burgess confirmed his organisation was also investigating several pro-Russian social media influencers in Australia who were “almost certainly” receiving directives from the Kremlin.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his attempted invasion of Ukraine in 2022 the Australian government has committed over $1.5 billion in assistance to Kyiv and imposed hundreds of sanctions against Moscow.