Australian police have charged a dual Russian-Australian citizen for attempting to pass Ukrainian military information to individuals he believed to be linked to Russian intelligence.
The 27-year-old man appeared in court in Brisbane on Friday facing charges of foreign interference. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told a press conference that the suspect traveled to Russia for training in October 2024. He later returned to Australia but remained in contact with people he believed were associated with Moscow's intelligence agencies.
According to police allegations, the man joined the Ukrainian military in May 2025, where he had access to information concerning personnel, units, and positions of the Ukrainian armed forces. Barrett said he shared information gathered in Ukraine with individuals he believed were acting on behalf of Russian intelligence, endangering the safety of Ukrainian military personnel.
"We do not want Australia to be a safe haven for those who engage in foreign interference on behalf of other nations," Commissioner Barrett emphasized.
The suspect, who is currently unemployed, has not been identified. Police said there is no indication he received military training in Australia. Search warrants have been executed, and police indicated additional arrests related to the case are possible.
The Australian Federal Police and intelligence agency ASIO conducted the investigation. "This case should serve as a warning to regimes engaging in foreign interference: we have a zero-tolerance policy," said ASIO Deputy Director-General Claire McGuinness.
Russia's embassy in Australia said it had no information about the incident. "At this stage, the embassy or the Consulate General in Sydney has not received any official requests or notifications from Australian authorities or from the individual concerned," the embassy said in an email to AFP. "We are currently using available channels and resources to verify the circumstances of the case."
In a parallel development, Russian state media reported on Friday that authorities had detained nine people and charged them with working for Ukrainian intelligence. The TASS news agency said eight suspects were found with 35 explosive-laden drones smuggled from the European Union and planned to attack a strategic defense enterprise in the Moscow region.
In a separate case, a foreign national was detained near the Norwegian border. The FSB security service said the man—whose nationality was not disclosed—was arrested for attempting to launch a reconnaissance drone over Moscow to help Ukrainian intelligence plan attacks on the Russian capital. The FSB said it apprehended the individual as he tried to flee to Norway overland.
