Australian PM tells Russia to 'back off' over spying allegation

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday rejected Russian criticism over the arrest of a Brisbane-based couple accused of spying for Moscow, telling the Kremlin to "back off".

Albanese said Russia had "no credibility", accusing Moscow of engaging in "espionage here and around the world".

"Russia can get the message: back off," he added, speaking at an event in Brisbane.

Albanese was responding to criticism by the Russian embassy after Australian police on Friday said they had charged a 40-year-old woman and her 62-year-old husband -- both Russian passport holders -- with preparing for an espionage offence.

In a post on social media platform X, the Russian embassy in Canberra said the arrests and media coverage were "intended to launch another wave of anti-Russian paranoia in Australia".

The embassy said it had requested official written information from the Australian authorities on the situation.

The couple, who were arrested at their home in Brisbane on Thursday, are accused of accessing national security-related material from the Australian military. They face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.

The accused woman was a private in the Australian defence force and had been working there for several years as an information systems technician, Australian police have said.

She allegedly took non-declared travel to Russia during long-term leave from the military.

While in Russia, she is said to have told her husband, a self-employed labourer, how to log into her official account at home in Australia.

Police allege her husband would access requested material and send it to his wife in Russia.

The accused woman and her husband obtained Australian citizenship in 2016 and 2020 respectively, according to police.

The couple appeared separately in Brisbane's magistrates court on Friday. Both will be held in custody until their next hearing on September 20.

Albanese has also criticised the Kremlin for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"The message to Russia is: how about you get out of Ukraine and stop the illegal and immoral war you're engaged in" he added.

The Australian premier called on Russia to "stop interfering in domestic affairs of other sovereign nations".

"This is a country that has no respect for international law and they should be regarded with contempt, which is what I have for them," Albanese added.