Australia charges man for passing Ukrainian military intel to Russia

What the report says

Australian police have charged a 27-year-old dual Russian-Australian citizen with foreign interference, alleging he tried to pass information about Ukraine’s military to people he believed were connected to Russian intelligence. According to Al Jazeera, the man was due to appear in a Brisbane court on Friday. Authorities have not named him.

The Australian Federal Police said the suspect travelled to Russia for training in October 2024, later returned to Australia, and stayed in contact with people he thought were linked to Moscow’s intelligence services. Police allege he then joined the Ukrainian military in May 2025 and gained access to details about personnel, units and locations. Those details were reportedly shared with individuals he believed were acting on behalf of Russian intelligence. Officials said the case involved Australian Federal Police and the domestic intelligence agency ASIO.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and that search warrants have been carried out, with the possibility of further arrests. ASIO said the case should serve as a warning against foreign interference. The Russian embassy in Canberra said it had not received official notification about the matter.

More broadly, the case comes amid heightened espionage and sabotage concerns connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Russian authorities also announced arrests in a different alleged spy case involving people accused of working for Ukrainian intelligence.