An Australian soldier and her husband have been arrested and charged with spying for Russia, marking the first time Australia’s strict foreign interference laws have been used to lay espionage charges. The couple, both Russian-born Australian citizens, are accused of obtaining Australian Defence Force (ADF) material to share with Moscow. However, Australian police have stated that no significant compromise of military secrets has been identified.
The 40-year-old woman, an army private, and her 62-year-old husband will face court in Brisbane, with each being charged with one count of preparing for an espionage offense, which carries a maximum 15-year jail sentence. The couple had been in Australia for over a decade before the alleged offense and had become citizens several years ago. The woman works as an information systems technician in the army and had obtained a security clearance for her role. It is alleged that she secretly traveled to Russia while on leave from the ADF and instructed her husband to access her work account and send sensitive material to Russian authorities.
The investigation is still ongoing to determine whether any of the material was successfully delivered, and the charges could potentially be upgraded. Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, stated that he had been briefed extensively by the nation’s security agencies, but refrained from commenting directly on the case as it is before the courts. Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Reece Kershaw, emphasized Australia’s commitment to identify and disrupt espionage and foreign interference activity, ensuring that Australia’s allies can be confident in their security.
Neither Kershaw nor Mike Burgess, the head of Australia’s spy agency, provided details about the nature of the documents or how authorities became aware of the alleged crimes. However, Burgess emphasized the real and ongoing threat of espionage and stated that multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia’s secrets. He warned that Australia cannot be naive or complacent and assured that they are actively looking for spies and providing protection to those being spied on.
The Australian Defence Force expressed its awareness of the arrest, taking all breaches of security seriously. With this arrest and espionage charges, Australia sends a strong message that it is committed to safeguarding its national security and countering foreign interference.