Fri Sep 20 11:49:59 UTC 2024: ## Australian Couple Accused of Spying for Russia, Case Delayed Until December
**BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA** – An Australian judge has granted prosecutors until December to finalize their case against an army private and her husband, who are accused of being Russian spies. The couple, Kira and Igor Korolev, were charged in July under Australia’s revamped espionage laws, making them the first suspected foreign operatives to be charged under the new legislation.
Prosecutors claim that Kira Korolev, a 40-year-old information systems technician, traveled to Russia while on leave from the army in 2023 without disclosing it to Australian authorities. She is also accused of coaching her husband to access her official work computer account and guiding him on how to extract sensitive information and send it to her private email account while in Russia.
Igor Korolev, 62, is a self-employed laborer. Both have been in Australia for a decade.
The couple’s case is complex, with investigators needing time to analyze evidence from 12 seized electronic devices. Defense lawyers will receive a full brief of evidence by December 13th, and the case is expected to return to court on December 20th.
Neither Kira nor Igor Korolev appeared in court on Friday. Their lawyers have not yet sought their release on bail or indicated how they will plead to the charges. If found guilty, they could face a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
The charges could be upgraded if evidence emerges that information was shared with Russia, potentially leading to a 25-year or life prison sentence.
The Russian embassy in July dismissed the charges as an attempt to fuel anti-Russian sentiment in Australia.
First Piper 