Good evening,

Please note, we have recently updated our Freedom of Information webform which is our preferred method for FOI request submissions. It would be greatly appreciated when submitting requests in the future if you could please lodge them through the FOI webform.

I refer to your request dated 1 September 2025, seeking access to documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the Act) as follows:

All documents relating to investigations of Australian Citizens who fought for the Russian Armed Forces since 22 July 2022

Due to the broadness of your scope, the AFP is seeking your agreement to request specific type of document to assist with conducting searches.

Timeframe – Seeking your agreement to an extension of time

Upon consideration of your request, the AFP is of the view that your request will take longer than 30 days to process. The delay is regrettable, however, due to an excessive number of requests that have come through our office it will not be possible to advise you of a decision by 1 October 2025.

Accordingly, pursuant to section 15AA of the Act, I seek your agreement to extend the period by 30 days to notify you of a decision by 31 October 2025.

I would be grateful if you would advise this office in writing of your agreement to the proposed extension of time by close of business Monday, 8 September 2025.

Consents – Please provide your response: YES/NO

Please advise this office whether you consent to exclude the following information:

• All identifying information of AFP members and Commonwealth employees below SES level (names, ID numbers, signatures, images) (AFP members and Commonwealth employees);
• AFP and Commonwealth agency contact details other than the official public channels (direct telephone numbers and email addresses);
• Job titles of AFP members and Commonwealth employees below SES;
• Draft documents;
• Personal information of any individual other than you from the documents you are seeking;
• Information provided by third parties to the AFP from the documents you are seeking;
• All information about any third parties from the documents you are seeking;
• Duplicate documents; and
• Documents you have already provided to us, or that we have already sent to you.

Please advise this office of the following: YES/NO

• Do the documents you seek relate to current court proceedings? and
• Are the documents you are seeking older than 20 years old?:

Disclosure of your identity: YES/NO

The AFP may be required to consult with third parties in accordance with sections 26A, 27 and 27A of the Act. Please advise us if you consent to being identified as a third party where consultation with a third party is necessary? If we do not receive your consent, we will not disclose your identity to third parties.

Information Publication Scheme

Please be advised that effective 1 May 2011 and in accordance with section 8(2) of the Act, an agency is required to publish information on the AFP website following the notification of a decision in respect of a freedom of information request. Details of the decision will be published in a Disclosure Log which can be found at https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/informat....

The requirement to publish information released under FOI reinforces the objectives of the FOI Act to promote a pro-disclosure culture across government, and to increase recognition that information held by government is a national resource. Exceptions to the requirement to publish information would apply to personal information and information concerning the business affairs of a person if it was considered ‘unreasonable’ to do so.

If however, after noting the above, you wish to raise any concerns about the publication of information concerning your request prior to the notification of a decision, please advise the AFP in writing before 1 October 2025.

If you have any queries in relation to this matter, please do not hesitate to contact our team at [AFP request email].

Kind regards

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION TEAM LEADER | COMMERCIAL, GOVERNANCE & INFORMATION
AFP LEGAL | CORPORATE | CHIEF COUNSEL PORTFOLIO

The Australian Federal Police acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country
throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay
our respects to First Nations people, culture and Elders past, present and emerging.

Classification: OFFICIAL
Classified by: [AFP request email] on: 4/09/2025 7:58:02 PM

-----Original Message-----
From: Foifoi Mcgee <[FOI #13564 email]>
Sent: Monday, 1 September 2025 10:35 PM
To: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Australians in the Russia Armed Forces

Dear Australian Federal Police,

I would like all documents relating to investigations of Australian Citizens who fought for the Russian Armed Forces since 22 July 2022

Yours faithfully,

Foifoi Mcgee

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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13564 email]

Is [AFP request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Australian Federal Police? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

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