Australia PM tells Russia to "back off" after accusations over espionage arrests

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Russia to "back off" on Saturday after Moscow accused Canberra of inciting "anti-Russian paranoia" for charging a Russian-born couple with espionage.

Spouses Kira and Igor Korolev have Russian and Australian citizenship, and were arrested on charges of working to access material related to Australia's national security, though no significant compromise was identified, the Australian Federal Police said on Friday.

The Russian embassy in Canberra said in a statement to Russia’s RIA state news agency on Friday that “the purpose of this campaign is obvious — to raise a new wave of anti-Russian paranoia here, distract Australians from the numerous failures of the policies of the ruling Labor Party.”

Albanese, speaking to reporters on Saturday, added that Russia needed to "stop interfering in domestic affairs of other sovereign nations.”

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