A Russian-Australian man could face 20 years imprisonment after being charged with foreign interference for allegedly attempting to provide military information to overseas governments.

The dual citizen, a 27-year-old Victorian man, was arrested on Thursday at Sumner in Brisbane’s southwest.

He has been charged with attempting to engage in foreign interference after allegedly seeking to provide information about Ukrainian military activities to individuals he believed were linked to Russian intelligence services.

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Australian Federal Police (AFP) said they began Operation Woodcreeper in June 2026, following an extensive investigation by ASIO.

The AFP alleged the man sought to collect and communicate information relating to Ukrainian military personnel, locations and operations for the benefit of the Russian Federation.

The AFP said search warrants were executed at homes at Sumner and Sinnamon Park on Thursday, and a further three search warrants were executed today at properties at Springwood and Petrie Terrace, and on an individual at Saint Lucia.

A number of electronic devices and items relevant to the investigation were seized, which will undergo extensive forensic examinations, the AFP said.

The man is alleged to have shared information on Ukrainian military activities during the country’s ongoing war with Russia. Credit: AAP

Police said the man had travelled to Russia in October 2024 and undertook military-style training before returning to Australia in December the same year.

They alleged he maintained contact with people he believed were connected to Russian intelligence services after the trip before travelling to Ukraine in May 2025.

Once in Ukraine he joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces and gained access to information relating to their military personnel, units and locations.

Police say he attempted to provide information he gathered while in Ukraine to people he believed were acting on behalf of Russian intelligence services.

The man’s actions are alleged to have put at risk the safety and security of Ukrainian military personnel, the AFP said.

“At this stage, there is nothing to suggest there is – or has been – any threat to Australia, however, the investigation is ongoing,” they said.

The man believed he was providing information to people acting on behalf of Russian intelligence services.  Credit: AAP

The man is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday to face one count of attempting to engage in intentional foreign interference which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said it was the first time the Counter Foreign Interference Task Force had charged a Russian-linked individual with attempting to engage in foreign interference since new laws were introduced in 2018.

“The AFP is a national security agency and has a laser-like focus on charging those who undermine Australia’s sovereignty, whether they are accused of acting overtly or operate in the shadows on behalf of foreign principals who do not share our values,” she said.

“Foreign interference is an insidious crime and has a bigger impact on Australia than many people realise. Offenders who engage in these crimes can leave our nation vulnerable to security threats.

“Global conflicts continue to impact the security environment in Australia, and it requires skilled investigators to look deeper to identify how subterranean the crime is, and who is really responsible. “

Since 2020, eight people have been charged with offences relating to espionage and foreign interference.

One Victorian man served two years and nine months’ imprisonment and was released in February 2025.

In March 2026, a NSW man was found guilty of reckless foreign interference and is awaiting sentencing.

In July 2024, two Queensland individuals were charged with espionage-related offences and remain before court.

In August 2025, an ACT resident was charged with a foreign interference offence, with an additional two ACT-based individuals charged in February 2026, and all remain before court.