September 20th 2024.
During a recent court hearing, it was revealed that prosecutors handling the case of a married couple accused of spying on the Australian Defence Force for Russia have requested additional time to thoroughly examine multiple digital devices. The couple, 40-year-old Kira Korolev and 62-year-old Igor Korolev, was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in Brisbane back in July. Kira, a Russian-born Australian Army private, and Igor, a self-employed labourer, were both charged with one count each of preparing for an espionage offence and have been held in custody on remand.
Today, the couple's case was briefly mentioned in the Brisbane Magistrates Court. However, neither of the defendants appeared in person or via videolink. Prosecutor Ellie McDonald approached Magistrate Peter Saggers and asked for a future date to provide a brief of evidence against the couple. According to McDonald, there is a significant amount of material to be examined in this matter as 12 devices were seized.
In a separate incident, a man in western NSW is currently fighting for his life after a home invasion. This news has been making headlines lately, adding to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the Korolevs' case. In response, the court has granted the prosecutors' request for more time to gather evidence against the couple.
The Korolevs have been living in Australia for about 10 years and were already married when they arrived. However, things took a turn for the worse when Kira allegedly traveled to Russia without informing the authorities while on long-term leave from the defence force in 2023. It is believed that during her trip, she coached her husband on how to access her official work account and obtain specific information, which he then allegedly sent to her private email account.
Anastasia Stoenko, who is representing Mr Korolev, did not oppose the prosecution's application for more time. Neither did the agent for Ms Korolev's solicitor. As a result, Saggers has ordered for a full brief of evidence to be provided by December 13 and for the case to return to court on December 20.
So far, the couple has not entered any pleas in response to their charges. However, if found guilty, they could face up to 15 years behind bars for preparing for espionage offences. With the upcoming court date and the weight of the charges against them, the couple has been under immense pressure. In the meantime, the public is encouraged to follow the latest updates on this and other news stories through the WhatsApp channel, which offers a more direct and private way to stay informed without any comments or algorithms.
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