A South Australian mum accused of being a Russian spy has lashed out during a TV interview while being grilled about her alleged links to a Kremlin mystery man.
ASIO alleges Marina Sologub, 39, is a Russian agent tasked with gathering and sharing sensitive information and passing it on to a Russian intelligence officer working under diplomatic cover.
She vehemently denies the allegations but acknowledged she has spoken to the man in question.
Grilled by 60 Minutes over her recollection of events, Sologub snapped at reporter Tara Brown and said: ‘I am starting to lose my patience.’
The Kazakhstan-born ethnic Russian arrived in Australia in 2020 on a distinguished talent visa, having forged a decade-long career in the space sector in Ireland where she lived most of her life.
Sologub is currently being held in an immigration facility in Melbourne awaiting an Administrative Appeals Tribunal decision on her visa.
ASIO alleges Marina Sologub (pictured), 39, is a Russian agent tasked with gathering and sharing sensitive information and passing it on to a Russian intelligence officer working under diplomatic cover.
Sologub claimed she did not speak to the suspected Russian intelligence officer outside of work apart from on one occasion.
‘The only time when I speak [to him] was when working and sharing what the plans are for the meetings and when they are going to happen. This is all administration,’ Sologub said.
She was then asked why the pair where friends on Facebook.
‘Do you know how many friends I have on Facebook?,’ Sologub snapped back.
‘I have people from America with whom I worked as well. From Europe, with whom I worked as well.
‘We exchange ‘happy birthdays’, that’s it. This is normal working relationship. It’s not a friend.’
Sologub went on to say: ‘If you are not interested to hear me why we doing this?,’
‘I’m trying to explain to you one more time because I am starting to lose my patience.
‘You can say one thing and have one thing in mind but people who want to use this against you they will use it the way they want. Doesn’t matter what I say to you you’re not listening to me.’
Sologub said if she is deported back to Ireland, she will go to the international human rights court to clear her name.
The Kazakhstan-born ethnic Russian (pictured with her husband Alex) arrived in Australia in 2020 on a distinguished talent visa, having forged a decade-long career in the space sector in Ireland where she lived most her life
A dramatic raid on her home in November 2021 was conducted by ASIO, Border Force and the Australian Federal Police.
Officers who seized a business card belonging to the suspected Russian diplomat and all her electronic devices including computers and phones.
ASIO is the only intelligence agency in the Five Eyes group – consisting of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – which can openly detain alleged spies for interrogation for 24 hours without charge.
Her visa was cancelled within that 24 hour window and she was transported to immigration detention.
Since her arrest, she has been subjected to five ASIO interviews, with all intelligence gathered by the government agency remaining classified.
Marina Sologub (pictured with her husband Alex) maintains her innocence and is challenging the cancellation of her distinguished talent visa
Sologub worked briefly at a private space industry company, at Deloitte’s Adelaide office and, finally, at a local council after arriving in Australia in September 2020.
She was fast-tracked into Australia on an ‘858 distinguished talent visa’ for her expertise in the space sector.
The Australian Space Agency is based in Adelaide and the city is a hub for space research and development.
She had worked for Ireland’s National Space Centre and also worked for consultancy firm Deloitte on space projects when she first arrived in Australia.
Sologub’s husband, Alex vehemently denied the allegations against his wife claiming if she was a spy he would know.
‘I know she is innocent. If she was involved I would know already,’ he said.
‘This is false. It is false, false, false. It’s a lie an accusation. No truth.’
The Administrative Appeals Tribunal is expected to make a decision on Sologub’s visa in July, this year.
Former Australian diplomat Peter Tesch, who represented Canberra in Moscow, said ASIO has a ‘difficult’ decision to make in Sologub’s case
Former Australian diplomat Peter Tesch, who represented Canberra in Moscow from 2016 to 2019, said ASIO has a ‘difficult’ decision to make in Sologub’s case.
‘Ultimately these sorts of decisions have quite significant ramifications for the individuals, sometimes for bilateral relations relationships, but also they always turn on issues of national security,’ Mr Tesch said.
‘The Russian foreign intelligence services are very capable, highly professional, very well resourced, and of course, their ability to work angles of opportunity is probably unparalleled.’
Sologub’s visa was cancelled by Home Affairs Minister Claire O’Neil after a negative security assessment was given to her by ASIO.
The minister has the power to cancel individual visas if they believe a person does not meet a character test and it is in the national interest.
Ms Solugub’s lawyer said it was a tough to fight her case with the appeals tribunal because ASIO was providing very little information and the onus was on her client to provide proof she isn’t a Russian spy.
She has not been charged with any criminal offence.
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