Australia PM tells Russia to 'back off' after claims over espionage arrests

Russia accused Australia of inciting "anti-Russian paranoia" for charging a Russian-born couple with espionage, prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday to tell Moscow to "back off".

The married couple, who hold Australian citizenship, were arrested on charges of working to access material related to Australia's national security, though no significant compromise was identified, the Australian Federal Police said on Friday.

"There is widespread information about the arrest in Brisbane of the spouses Kira and Igor Korolev, who have Russian and Australian citizenship, on charges of attempting to spy for Russia," the Russian embassy in the capital Canberra said in a statement to Russia's RIA state news agency on Friday.

"The purpose of this campaign is obvious - to raise a new wave of anti-Russian paranoia here, distract Australians from the numerous failures of the policies of the ruling Labor Party," the embassy said.

Albanese, speaking to reporters on Saturday, said Russia needed to "stop interfering in domestic affairs of other sovereign nations".

"Russia can get the message, back off. Russia engages in espionage here and around the world," Albanese said in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland state, according to a transcript. 

Australia, one of the largest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, announced a A$250 million ($170 million) military aid package for Kyiv on Thursday at a NATO summit in Washington.

The embassy requested written information from the Australian authorities on the couple's situation and was considering "appropriate measures of consular assistance", the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported on Saturday.

The embassy did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

The Korolevs appeared in Brisbane magistrate's court on Friday, court filings show, charged with one count each of preparing for an espionage offence, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail. The charges are the first under laws introduced in 2018.

They did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody until Sept. 20 when they are next due to appear, media reported.

The wife, 40, an information systems technician in the Australian Army, travelled to Russia and instructed her husband in Australia to log into her official account to access defence materials, police said.    

Canberra has been supplying defence equipment to Kyiv, banned exports of aluminium ores to Russia and sanctioned more than 1,000 Russian individuals and entities.