Accused Russian-born spy allegedly worked for WA cleaning company that bragged of ‘government building’ access

4 hours ago 3

A Russian-born Australian soldier accused of spying for Russia worked for a company that boasted of its access to “government buildings” in WA.

Kira Korolev, 41, and her husband Igor Korolev, 63, were charged in Brisbane last year with preparing to carry out an act of espionage.

Igor and Kira Korolev featured on the list of security officers known by WA Police licensing.

Ms Korolev, 40, was an intelligence officer with the Australian Defence Force, and Mr Korolev, 62, was a self-employed labourer.

WA Police documents have previously revealed both were registered security officers in WA years before their arrest – a process that requires either a WA or overseas police clearance.

Ms Korolev also allegedly worked for a cleaning company based in Perth before moving interstate.

Kira Korolev in Airlite uniform in a photo posted on social media.

She worked for Airlite, a Perth-based company shuttered after it was bought by national conglomerate Millenium Services Group in 2016.

On its website in 2015, the company described itself as “Western Australia’s leading security, maintenance and integrated services provider”.

“Our long service history has seen Airlite provide cleaning operations to a variety of facilities including … government buildings, manufacturing and production plants, healthcare and medical facilities and general office environments,” the company website said.

It is not known whether the couple used their specific security officer registrations while in WA and this masthead is not suggesting any wrongdoing by either during the duration of their registrations.

Australian National University’s national security college professor David Andrews said the former employment of the Korolevs would likely be of interest to any investigation.

“Speaking generally, it would make sense to me that the Australian Federal Police and ASIO would look through a suspect’s prior work history and behaviour to try and understand,” he said.

“For example, whether these allegations form part of a wider historic pattern or were a more recent act in isolation; to try and potentially identify any co-conspirators; as well as looking for weaknesses or shortcomings in the system as a whole.

“Perhaps speaking more to motive and degree of premeditation, rather than working for a security company having specific relevance in and of itself.”

The WA government is aware of the registrations.

The couple attracted attention from national security agencies after Ms Korolev embarked on allegedly unreported trips to Russia both with her husband and alone.

The Australian Federal Police alleged Ms Korolev travelled to Russia alone while on long-term leave from the army in 2023, and while she was away, instructed her husband on how to access her work laptop.

She allegedly asked him to send specific information to her private email.

The AFP alleged the couple sought to gain information related to Australia’s national security interests, allegedly with the intent of providing it to Russian authorities.

The couple have lived in Australia for more than 10 years, with Kira receiving her Australian citizenship in 2016 and Igor in 2020.

The case is ongoing and neither have entered pleas.

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