ADF Member & Wife Charged with Espionage * Spying for Russia

[Rob R]

ADF member and husband accused of attempting to access classified documents for Russia — as it happened

Two Russian-born Australian citizens have been accused of obtaining Australian Defence Force material to share with Russian authorities. Look back through our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

www.abc.net.au

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[jason_recliner]

ADF member and husband accused of attempting to access classified documents for Russia — as it happened

Two Russian-born Australian citizens have been accused of obtaining Australian Defence Force material to share with Russian authorities. Look back through our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

www.abc.net.au

On SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Can we hang them still?

 

[Rob R]

Can we hang them still?

15 year maximum apparently which is far too soft.

Key problem is will defence learn that they can't keep lowering recruiting and security standards especially for what iin this case was an IT role.

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[SaintsSeptember]

15 year maximum apparently which is far too soft.

Key problem is will defence learn that they can't keep lowering recruiting and security standards especially for what iin this case was an IT role.

On SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

A lot of systems now keep track of who is accessing what, and ring security alarm bells when people are acting outside their jurisdiction. ( without them knowing they've been busted ).

Its not glamorous being a spy either. Its not unusual for blackmail to be used to coerce spy work.
If they have relatives in Russia, anything could have been used against them.

 

[jason_recliner]

A lot of systems now keep track of who is accessing what, and ring security alarm bells when people are acting outside their jurisdiction. ( without them knowing they've been busted ).

Its not glamorous being a spy either. Its not unusual for blackmail to be used to coerce spy work.
If they have relatives in Russia, anything could have been used against them.

Yep. We shouldn't be employing in defence anybody with Russian relatives .

 

[Rob R]

Yep. We shouldn't be employing in defence anybody with Russian relatives .

Allegedly they are dual citizens. Not sure how someone who is a citizen of an unfriendly nation should be allowed to have any government job let alone a sensitive one.

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[Kurve]

Joined the ADF as born in Russia, holding dual ciizenship and only lived here for ten years.

Army private Kira Korolev and her civilian husband Igor Korolev are accused of accessing Australian army information from the woman's ADF email account and sending it to a personal account.

Court files show the couple are accused of maintaining a relationship with "Russian Federation intelligence services" for the purpose of sharing that material.

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite has defended the ADF's vetting process.

"Obviously there are rules around background checks that people have to undertake to become a member of the ADF," he told the ABC.

"And they're very, very thorough."

You can watch the full interview on ABC's Afternoon Briefing at 4pm this afternoon.

ADF Member & Wife Charged with Espionage * Spying for Russia

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-12/live-blog-afp-asio-press-conference-announcement/104089260 On SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

www.bigfooty.com

 

[BFew]

Key problem is will defence learn that they can't keep lowering recruiting and security standards especially for what iin this case was an IT role.

Hopefully they got access to nothing much the Russians didn't already know, or were given access to false info, and ASIO got heaps of info from them on their handlers MO, and possibly some useful info on other Russian spies in Australia.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/russianborn-australian-couple-charged-with-espionage-security-vetting-in-question-amid-spy-allegations/news-story/7e298069e61374fd09242b3294f581ba

'Russian-born Australian couple charged with espionage: Security vetting in question amid spy allegations​

...
The bringing of charges over the alleged espionage plot in suburban Brisbane is a credit to ASIO and the Australian Federal Police.

It marks the first-ever use of new espionage laws introduced five years ago, and comes amid surging efforts by foreign spies to gain access to classified information.

But many questions remain unanswered. Chief among them – did Kira and Igor Korolev move to Australia a decade ago as part of a long-term Russian plan to spy on Australia? Or will it be alleged they were turned by a Russian agent after they arrived?

Police are yet to say. But ASIO director-general Mike Burgess hinted the plot may have been years in the making, saying foreign intelligence services “play the long game”.

It remains to be seen whether any sensitive material was actually handed to the Russians, although Burgess suggested the authorities had been “able to control this”.

Australians will also rightly ask, if Kira Korolev is a spy, how did she manage to get through the Australian Defence Force’s security vetting processes to take up a job as an information systems technician?

Australia needs effective security vetting processes to protect the nation’s secrets and those of our allies. The need to weed out human security threats is even more onerous considering the US and UK are preparing to share nuclear submarine technology with Australia.

But time and again, the commonwealth’s security vetting processes have been called into question.

In fact, in a report released on Thursday, the Australian National Audit Office revealed serious problems with the Defence-run myClearance system to vet commonwealth officers going into sensitive roles.

It found Defence’s management of the system fell short of expectations, that risks were not resolved quickly enough, and there was no system in place to monitor and review the activities of privileged users.

Past audits have raised similar concerns.

It’s yet to be revealed what level security clearance Ms Korolev had, but the vetting process is supposed to assess character traits including honesty, trustworthiness, maturity and loyalty.

Anything above a baseline clearance requires checks on an applicant’s movements and relationships over the preceding decade. Did Korolev’s Russian connections not trigger alarm bells?

If the charges against the Korolev’s are borne out, it will mean the system has spectacularly failed. Which raises another obvious question – how many more spies could have beaten the tests?

As Burgess said in his annual threat assessment in February warned – yet again – that foreign spies were active on Australian soil.

“When we see more Australians being targeted for espionage and foreign interference than ever before, we have a responsibility to call it out,” he said.

“Australians need to know that the threat is real. The threat is now. And the threat is deeper and broader than you might think.”

This shouldn’t surprise anyone, given the state of the world and the military, economic and technological advantages nations can gain from such activities. But recognising the threat and protecting against it are two different things.

As a close US ally and a member of the West’s Five Eyes intelligence sharing network, the Australian government holds deeply classified secrets, and could potentially provide a gateway to those of our closest partners.

Given the latest allegations, and the identified deficiencies of Australia’s vetting processes, the government has a major task ahead to harden the system up.'

 

[Golden_6]

These guys clearly weren’t anything serious as spies. I mean sending information from a work email to personal email? Any simple organisation can monitor that stuff let alone the ADF.

Maybe they were being threatened/blackmailed and wanted to be caught?

 

[BFew]

These guys clearly weren’t anything serious as spies. I mean sending information from a work email to personal email? Any simple organisation can monitor that stuff let alone the ADF.

Maybe they were being threatened/blackmailed and wanted to be caught?

Or just testing out the weaknesses in ADF security for their handlers (unauthorised penetration testing), to see how the Australian authorities responded.

 

[jason_recliner]

Allegedly they are dual citizens. Not sure how someone who is a citizen of an unfriendly nation should be allowed to have any government job let alone a sensitive one.

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Don't worry, I'm sure there are heaps of Aussies working in Russian defence and intelligence.

 

[BFew]

14 years ago, in Perth she went by the surname 'Karavaytseva', which the ABC reports it is trying to confirm whether that was her maiden name.

Alleged Russian spy worked as assistant theatre director in Perth

Australian citizen Kira Korolev, an alleged Russian spy, was working as an assistant theatre director in Perth in 2010.

www.abc.net.au

'Alleged Russian spy Kira Korolev known as 'well-trained actor and Moscow theatre director' in Perth​

Exclusive by Rory Callinan, ABC Investigations
Posted 9h ago

The ABC has confirmed that in the 2010s, Ms Korolev was an international student using the surname Karavaytseva, and promoting herself as a highly qualified theatre director and sometime actor with credits in numerous Moscow plays.

The owner of a now-defunct Perth theatre production company said she encountered Kira when she applied for an assistant director role for a play called In the Garden, produced by Deckchair Theatre at Victoria Hall in Fremantle.

The former theatre director, who asked not to be identified, said Kira was hired for the role and helped with filming some promotional videos and photographing the cast and crew.

"I only had nice things to say about Kira,'' said the owner.

"She was a reliable team member and clearly had excellent skills in theatre. We didn't have a personal relationship beyond our involvement in the production."

Kira's application letter for the job, obtained by the ABC, reveals that at the time of seeking work at the theatre, she was an international student who had been completing her master's degree at Edith Cowan University in film and video.

In her application, she writes that she was working on her final project — a documentary on experimental film exploring Peter Brook's methodology of working with actors, based on Shakespeare's play Richard III.

"In Russia, I worked as assistant director in Moscow drama theatre,'' she stated.

In the resume, also obtained by the ABC, she reveals some of her life goals and lists extensive qualifications in the arts, including a degree from the university and completion of an acting arts course at the International Slavic Institute in Russia from 2005 to 2007.

It also states she had completed a "degree of human resource management" at the "state university – "high economics (Russia)".

Under the heading of experience, Ms Korolev listed work at Moscow Dramatic Theatre in the position of part-time assistant director, scheduling and planning rehearsals.

In addition to directing, she also described herself as an actor in theatre from 2006 to 2010, and as undertaking work as the official photographer.

From 2005 to 2010, her resume lists her as undertaking the duties of promoter or hostess at various promotional events in Moscow, where she "promoted events" and interacted with guests.

In the resume, her goals were listed as seeking interesting work opportunities.

She wrote that she specialised in directing and stated, "I'm looking for interesting and challenging work with plenty of opportunities for new experiences".

Under the heading of personal qualities, she described herself as hardworking, honest, loyal, attentive to details, reliable and "very good fit".

Her interests were tennis, in which she noted she held a "3rd sport degree".

She said she could drive a manual car and spoke Russian.

Attached to her application was a reference purportedly from an art director at the State Institution of Culture in Moscow.

The reference stated that she had been working as an unfixed stage manager for the theatre's active repertory of performances, including About Wet Snow, Ivan and the Devil, Fedra, and Misfortune of a Gentle Heart.

"During this period, Karavaytseva approved herself to be a creative collaborator taking an active part in repetition and execution of the performance,'' wrote art director Andrei Lubimov.

He went on to describe her as being an "extraordinary director of the theatre's view with a strong sense of form and style," making diverse mise-en-scene decisions.

In the January 2006 reference, Mr Lubimov wrote that Kira "deeply weighs problems ... connected to the ultimate priorities of the characters and ... the performance".

Efforts to contact Mr Lubimov were unsuccessful.

The ABC has been unable to confirm whether Karavaytseva is Kira's maiden name.'

 

[Kurve]

Told someone from the Russian Embassy off after it was claimed the arrests and media attention were "intended to launch another wave of anti-Russian paranoia in Australia".

Speaking in Brisbane on Saturday, Anthony Albanese said Russia had "no credibility" after engaging in "espionage around the world".

"Russia can get the message: Back off," he said.

Albanese tells Russia to 'back off' after embassy criticises spying allegations

Anthony Albanese has accused the Kremlin of spying "around the world" after the arrests of two Australian citizens on espionage charges.

www.abc.net.au

 

[utility]

After witnessing the treatment of Daniel Duggan it would not surprise me if this was a beat-up.

 

[Rob R]

After witnessing the treatment of Daniel Duggan it would not surprise me if this was a beat-up.

Given the overwhelming evidence against that alleged traitor, it adds to the likelihood that not only is this case accurate but we need to be investigating every dual citizen in the adf (who has travelled to their home country) starting with one's from unfriendly nations and banning any dual nationals from joining in the future.

On SM-A125F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[kaiserchief13]

Lock them up and throw away the key

 

[BFew]

This is getting ridiculous.

Watch bombshell army recruitment videos starring accused spy

The Nightly has obtained two promotional videos the Australian army tried to erase starring accused Russian spy Kira Korolev. WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE.

thenightly.com.au

 

[Pamcake1]

This is getting ridiculous.

Watch bombshell army recruitment videos starring accused spy

The Nightly has obtained two promotional videos the Australian army tried to erase starring accused Russian spy Kira Korolev. WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE.

thenightly.com.au

View attachment 2048490

What were they thinking!

 

[BFew]

What were they thinking!

Maybe someone thought her Russian language skills might come in handy one day and they could use her as an agent to spy on Russia?

Suspected army spy's Instagram page reveals visit to sensitive Woomera military training area

A Russian-born soldier arrested on espionage charges has documented her recent visit to the sensitive Woomera military training area on a social media account which she also uses to monitor news from her country of birth.

www.abc.net.au

'...
In an Instagram post from January last year, the information systems technician shares images from her trip to South Australia, where she visited the highly restricted Woomera facility used by the Australian Defence Force to test weapons and aircraft.

An Instagram post showing a visit to the restricted Woomera facility.(Instagram: Kiraaustralia)

At the time of her visit to the remote facility, the Royal Australian Air Force was conducting secret test flights of the unmanned Ghost Bat aircraft developed by Boeing.

Another post from 2020 includes a series of photos with a caption in Russian explaining "taken about 8 years ago at an abandoned power station" in Perth where Ms Korolev claims she "had to run from security, but it was worth it".
...'

 

[Pamcake1]

I am a former FBI special agent. This is how Russian intelligence operates and why Australia was a target

Often referred to as the "second oldest profession", espionage is a tool used by many countries to keep tabs on their adversaries. So what were spies for Russia doing in Australia and how were they able to keep operating in secret?

www.abc.net.au

 

[Spiritof82]

Maybe someone thought her Russian language skills might come in handy one day and they could use her as an agent to spy on Russia?

Suspected army spy's Instagram page reveals visit to sensitive Woomera military training area

A Russian-born soldier arrested on espionage charges has documented her recent visit to the sensitive Woomera military training area on a social media account which she also uses to monitor news from her country of birth.

www.abc.net.au

'...
In an Instagram post from January last year, the information systems technician shares images from her trip to South Australia, where she visited the highly restricted Woomera facility used by the Australian Defence Force to test weapons and aircraft.

An Instagram post showing a visit to the restricted Woomera facility.(Instagram: Kiraaustralia)

At the time of her visit to the remote facility, the Royal Australian Air Force was conducting secret test flights of the unmanned Ghost Bat aircraft developed by Boeing.

Another post from 2020 includes a series of photos with a caption in Russian explaining "taken about 8 years ago at an abandoned power station" in Perth where Ms Korolev claims she "had to run from security, but it was worth it".
...'

The press are running short of information so as usual they are making up their own theories. If anyone has driven along the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta to Alice, the highway goes straight through the Woomera range for a few 100 km's and these signs are all along the highway and on dirt roads leading off of the highway to let people know that they must stay on the highway (not that many do).

All the photo shows if that she took a picture of a sign on the highway like many other tourists do. If she did go to the Highly Restricted Woomera area where testing takes place there's no chance of her getting in there without a correct pass.

 

[Pamcake1]

The press are running short of information so as usual they are making up their own theories. If anyone has driven along the Stuart Highway from Port Augusta to Alice, the highway goes straight through the Woomera range for a few 100 km's and these signs are all along the highway and on dirt roads leading off of the highway to let people know that they must stay on the highway (not that many do).

All the photo shows if that she took a picture of a sign on the highway like many other tourists do. If she did go to the Highly Restricted Woomera area where testing takes place there's no chance of her getting in there without a correct pass.

What are the chances of her using her ADF ID to sweet talk her way past security to have a look?
It's not the usual 'tourist' photo that you would be spreading about...'oh look at this fantastic sign!'

 

[Percel]

What are the chances of her using her ADF ID to sweet talk her way past security to have a look?
It's not the usual 'tourist' photo that you would be spreading about...'oh look at this fantastic sign!'

Not a chance in hell, even with the highest clearance in the land, you wouldn’t get in without need to know/sponsorship

 

[Spiritof82]

What are the chances of her using her ADF ID to sweet talk her way past security to have a look?
It's not the usual 'tourist' photo that you would be spreading about...'oh look at this fantastic sign!'

All ADF ID's are now coded to where you have access to, if the machine doesn't say "yes" then you don't get through, no matter how much you try to convince the security people on the gate. Only way through would be to be escorted (at all times) by someone working on the base that can justify why you are there.

 

[Pamcake1]

All ADF ID's are now coded to where you have access to, if the machine doesn't say "yes" then you don't get through, no matter how much you try to convince the security people on the gate. Only way through would be to be escorted (at all times) by someone working on the base that can justify why you are there.

My comment was made to put out there as a possibility that what I have bolded above in your comment indeed might have happened.