Australian police charge a man suspected of leaking Ukrainian military information to Russia with "foreign interference"

(Central News Agency, Sydney, comprehensive foreign news report on the 21st) Australian police today charged a 27-year-old man with "foreign interference". The man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of leaking Ukrainian military information to Russia. This crime is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Agence France-Presse reported that Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said at a press conference that the Russian-Australian citizen had received "military-style" training in Russia and later joined the Ukrainian army.

Police said the man was arrested yesterday following an investigation by the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce and will appear in a Brisbane court.

Police allege that this person went to Russia for training in October 2024. After returning to Australia, he "continued to contact" people believed to be related to Moscow's intelligence agencies.

Barrett said the man traveled to Ukraine in 2025 and joined the army, "obtained information about Ukrainian military personnel, units and locations," and then "provided or attempted to provide information obtained in Ukraine to people he believed represented Russian intelligence agencies."

"According to the allegations, this action posed a risk to the physical safety of Ukrainian military personnel," Barrett said. "We do not want Australia to become a haven for those who interfere on behalf of other countries."

Police said the man, whose identity has not been made public, is currently unemployed and has no indication of having received military training in Australia. Police applied for multiple search tickets and further arrests were "possible" in the case.

The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO).