Russia accuses Australia’s spy chiefs of stoking 'anti-Russian paranoia' after alleged spy scandal

Russia has accused Australia’s security agencies of using “theatrical tricks” to fuel “anti-Russian paranoia” after alleged spies were accused of attempting to access classified defence information for Moscow.

Two Russian-born Australians have been arrested over an alleged spying scheme targeting the Defence Department, with authorities emphasising concerns over espionage and foreign interference.

Assuming the allegations are true, the spying may have been related to Australia’s support for Ukraine or for secrets passed on by the US under the AUKUS agreement, which involves Australia obtaining nuclear submarines.

The Russian Embassy in Canberra on Saturday accused Australia’s federal police and spy agency chiefs of stoking anti-Russian paranoia.

“The press conference of AFP and ASIO chiefs on 12 July was clearly intended to launch another wave of anti-Russian paranoia in Australia,” the embassy said in a statement.

“Theatrical tricks were used like talking to imaginary ‘Russian spies’ presumed to be all around.”

The embassy has requested the situation and status of the arrested duo and will consider appropriate measures of consular assistance.

Australia has become more attractive to Russian spy agencies as Canberra increases security collaboration with the United States after signing the AUKUS agreement, one national security expert says.

“The reality is Australia has ramped up as a target since the initiation of the AUKUS pact,” said Dr William Stoltz, senior adviser at the ANU National Security College.

“We have been a key part in the international sanctions regime against Russia as well, so they would be seeking to understand the military technology we have in development but maybe even other ways we are seeking to support Ukraine.”

The fact army private Kira Korolev, 40, and her husband Igor, 62, have become the first people charged under a 2018 national security law showed the system was working, Dr Stoltz said.

The case wasn’t surprising given the director-general of intelligence agency ASIO had warned Australia was being targeted by spies at an unprecedented level.

“It was kind of a sense of it was a matter of time before someone was going to be charged,” he told AAP.

“Something that should be noted, the reason this is the first instance is not because people aren’t engaging in espionage, but because it is very difficult to bring these people to a court of law.”

On top of the need for robust evidence, intelligence agencies were hesitant about bringing cases to court as they may need to reveal sources and capabilities, Dr Stoltz said.

The two Australians, who retain Russian passports, remain in police custody after neither applied for bail at a Brisbane court on Friday.

There was no ongoing threat, the Australian Federal Police said.

Police allege the army private visited Russia while on long-term leave in 2023 and coached her husband into accessing defence information through the computer.

Investigations into whether information was passed on are ongoing, with the prospect of charges being upgraded from preparing for espionage to an outright espionage offence.

The married couple arrived in Australia about 10 years ago before becoming citizens some years later.

Police are investigating whether their alleged links to Russia predate their arrival or they were turned after arriving in Australia.

The police refused to reveal when they became aware of the alleged offending.

Dr Stoltz said there was a tendency within the intelligence community to “let things run for a while to fully identify the network the target is connected with and what information they are trying to obtain”.

“It’s fairly safe to assume they would have been under close observation for quite a while.”