An Australian army private and her husband accused of spying for Russia have been denied bail on the first charges against suspected operatives under Australia’s updated 2018 espionage laws. Kira and Igor Korolev are Russian-born Australian citizens. They did not enter pleas at their court appearance Friday. The charge alleges they sought information with the intention of providing it to Russian authorities. Whether information was passed to Russia is still being investigated. The Russian Embassy did not immediately comment. While the couple are the first suspected operatives to be charged under the modernized espionage laws that also outlaw covert foreign interference in domestic politics, Australian security forces have disrupted alleged Russian spies in recent years.
