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Major update in case against accused Russian spies

<p>Accused Russian spies Kira and Igor Korolev have had their assets seized by the AFP as the investigation into their espionage-related offences continues. </p> <p>Kira, an Australian Defence Force army private, and her husband became the first Australians to be charged with espionage since 2018 after allegedly working together to leak state secrets to Russia.</p> <p>The couple were <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/aussie-couple-arrested-and-charged-with-spying-for-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in July in their Brisbane home and were charged with one count each of preparing for an espionage offence, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.</p> <p>Now, as the investigation into their activities continue, the AFP have sought an order to confiscate the apartment, assets and financed.</p> <p>The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) is seeking to confiscate the married couple’s apartment and financial savings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Commonwealth).</p> <p>Last Friday, the Queensland Supreme Court made restraining orders over property owned by the couple, valued in excess of $550,000.</p> <p>The property subject to the restraining orders includes a Brisbane apartment owned by the couple, multiple bank accounts, and the superannuation funds acquired by Ms Korolev during her employment with the ADF.</p> <p>According to authorities, Kira, 40, undertook non-declared travel to Russia while on leave from the ADF and instructed her 62-year-old husband Igor, who remained in Australia, to log into her work account from their Brisbane home.</p> <p>The couple allegedly unlawfully accessed, copied and disseminated information from the Department of Defence computer systems that concerned the national security of Australia.</p> <p>The couple have not entered pleas to the charge against them and remain in custody on remand, and are next scheduled to appear in court in September. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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Aussie couple arrested and charged with spying for Russia

<p>An army private in the Australian Defence Force and her husband have been arrested after being accused of spying for the Russians.</p> <p>The Australian Federal Police arrested the 40-year-old soldier Kira Korolev and her 62-year-old labourer husband Igor Korolev at their Brisbane home on Thursday morning.</p> <p>They have been charged with preparing for an espionage offence.</p> <p>The woman has been employed by the ADF for several years as an information systems technician.</p> <p>It is alleged the Russian-born Australian citizens worked together to obtain sensitive information.</p> <p>AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the couple have been living in Australia for more than a decade after the woman received her citizenship in 2016, with her husband also becoming a citizen in 2020. </p> <p>The woman is accused of not declaring her travels to Russia during long-term leave from the ADF since 2023, both with and without her husband.</p> <p>While her husband remained in Australia, the woman is accused of instructing the man to log into her official work account and access information to send to her private email while she was in Russia.</p> <p>It is alleged this information related to Australia’s national security interests and was accessed a number of times with the intent of passing it on to Russian authorities.</p> <p>“Western democracies, including Australia, are being targeted by state actors, but Australia’s intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the laws, capability and tradecraft to identify these spies and those seeking to undermine Australia’s interests,” Kershaw said on Friday.</p> <p>“So my direct warning is this, we know who you are. You are likely already exposed.”</p> <p>It is unknown if the information was passed on, or what the pair did while overseas, however the investigation is continuing.</p> <p>“Whether that information was handed over remains a key focus of our investigation,” Kershaw said. “Currently no significant compromise has been identified.”</p> <p>ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the “espionage threat is real”.</p> <p>“Multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia’s secrets. We cannot be naive and we cannot be complacent,” Burgess said.</p> <p>“Espionage is not some quaint Cold War notion. Espionage damages our economy and degrades our strategic advantage. It has catastrophic real-world consequences. Foreign intelligence services are capable, determined and patient."</p> <p>“They play the long game. The problem for them is ASIO does too,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: ADF</em></p>

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Artist robot Ai-Da detained in Egypt on suspicion of espionage

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A robot with a flair for the arts was detained at the Egyptian border for 10 days ahead of a major exhibition. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai-Da was set to present her artworks at the foot of the pyramids of Giza: the first ever art exhibition held in the historic area. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The show, titled </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Forever is Now</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, is an annual event organised by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Art D’Égypte to support the art and culture scene in Egypt. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai-Da’s digitally created artworks, and her presence at the event, was set to be the highlight of the show. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Egyptian officials grew concerned when she arrived as her eyes feature cameras and an internet modem. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because of Ai-Da’s technology, officials at the Egyptian border grew concerned that she had been sent to the country as part of an espionage conspiracy. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/20/egypt-detains-artist-robot-ai-da-before-historic-pyramid-show"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, British officials had to work intensively to get Ai-Da out of detainment before the beginning of the art show, </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Egyptian officials offered to let Ai-Da free if she had some of her gadgetry removed, to which Aiden Meller, Ai-Da’s creator, refused. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They offered to remove her eyes as a security measure, but Aiden insisted that she uses her eyes to create her artwork. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She was eventually released, with her eyes intact, and the show went ahead as scheduled. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai-Da is able to make unique art thanks to specially designed technology developed by researchers at Oxford and Leeds University. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ai-Da’s key algorithm converts images she captures with her camera-eyes and converts them to drawings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The robot can also paint portraits, as her creators allowed her technology to analyse colours and techniques used by successful human artists. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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