Exclusive: Fake Russian diplomats revealed as heart of ‘hive’ spy ring in Australia
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess described the spying operation in a major speech in Canberra on Tuesday, but did not name Russia.
The Australian intelligence agency spent months tracking the Russian spy ring, which comprised purported embassy and consular staff and operatives using other deep cover identities, before ASIO finally moved to force the ring’s key players out of Australia, according to sources with knowledge of its operation.he delivered in Canberra on Tuesday, but did not name Russia.
The spy ring has been operating out of a number of locations, including the Russian embassy in Canberra.The sources said one factor influencing ASIO’s decision-making throughout the operation was the possibility Russia might retaliate by targeting the small number of Australian diplomatic staff in Moscow.Some intelligence operations have previously led to tit-for-tat reprisals.
In early 2022, then-opposition leader Anthony Albanese and then-shadow foreign affairs minister Penny Wongin light of reported atrocities in Ukraine. In November, as the Ukraine-Russia conflict became entrenched, Wong released a statement stressing that “all options remain under consideration” in connection to the high number of Russian diplomats in Australia.
When he delivered his annual threat assessment speech on Tuesday evening, Burgess described a major spying operation that his agency had disrupted. The sources confirmed Burgess’ comments this week referred to the larger and more recent Russian spy ring, a larger “hive” of spies working “undeclared” or “undercover”.
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