Alleged spy had contact with Russian diplomat while working in space sector in Ireland

An Irish citizen accused of possible espionage by Australian authorities was in contact with a Russian diplomat while living in Ireland.

Marina Sologub, a Kazakhstan-born ethnic Russian, worked in the space industry while living in Ireland and as an assistant to two TDs. In 2020, she moved to Australia after being awarded a “distinguished talent” visa by the South Australian government and took up a role in the space sector in Adelaide.

In March of this year, it emerged that the Australian authorities had cancelled her visa after deciding Ms Sologub posed a security threat and may be involved in espionage for the Russian government. This followed an assessment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio), the country’s domestic intelligence agency.

Since then, Ms Sologub, who has not been charged with any crime, has been held in detention in Melbourne pending her deportation back to Ireland. She strongly denies any wrongdoing and is fighting her deportation through the courts. A final appeal on the matter is due to be heard later this month.

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[ Who is Marina Sologub? ]

It has now emerged that Ms Sologub, who moved to Ireland with her family as a child, was in contact with a diplomat from the Russian embassy in Dublin while she worked in the Irish National Space Centre (INSC) in Cork, which provides communications links between satellites and ground based systems.

Ms Sologub worked in a business development role there. As part of her work, she had access to wide network of technology companies, including those linked to the defence industry.

In an interview broadcast last week by the Australian television programme 60 Minutes, Ms Sologub said she had contact with the Russian embassy official but denied any nefarious intent.

Australian intelligence officers found a business card containing the details of the diplomat when they conducted a search of Ms Sologub’s home.

Ms Sologub said in the interview she does not know if the Russian diplomat was part of an intelligence agency. She said he had a “normal working relationship” with the man, that he was the most junior person in the embassy.

She conceded she had approached him for help to get her son into a Russian language camp and that they were friends on Facebook but said she never shared “any information” with him.

Gardaí are understood to be aware of the connection between Ms Sologub and the official, although it is not clear when they learned of it. It is also not clear if they view the official as an intelligence agent.

The contact occurred in the years prior to Ms Sologub establishing the Irish Space Industry Group (ISIG) in 2014 to promote the Irish space sector and allow companies to co-operate on projects.

Russian intelligence agents regularly use diplomatic roles as cover for their work. Last year four embassy officials were expelled by the Irish Government for allegedly engaging in espionage work.

Ms Sologub told 60 Minutes she never worked on military projects. She said no one in Ireland asked her to move to Australia to gather intelligence there.

She said she was trying to build a normal life in Australia with her family and was confident she would win her appeal against deportation.

In total, she was interviewed by authorities five times before her detention. She said her interviewers accused her of being a spy for Russia.

A spokesman for the Russian embassy said it is not familiar with anyone called Marina Sologub or her case. A spokesperson for Asio told The Irish Times it did not comment on “individuals, intelligence, or operational matters”. Ms Sologub could not be reached for comment.