The Embassy of Russia in Australia is the Russian embassy in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. It is located at 78 Canberra Avenue, Griffith, to the east of the Manuka shopping precinct.
Russia also has a consulate in Sydney.
The allocation of the site was made by the National Capital Planning and Development Committee (NCPDC), later named the National Capital Authority (NCA).
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Griffith is a mostly island site bounded by Canberra Avenue, Lefroy Street, Evans Crescent, Light Street, and to the west by a walking path from Light St to Canberra Ave. A block of accommodation on Evans Cr shares the south-western boundary. The site has a line of pine trees along Canberra Avenue, and is enclosed by a high steel fence.
The site formerly had a Russian elementary school in its eastern portion, demolished in 2021 and replaced with what appears to be an accommodation block.
Vladimir Petrov was an official at the embassy, who defected to Australia in 1954 after contacting the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). His wife, Evdokia, was unaware of his intentions. They were eventually given asylum in Australia, and settled into an obscure life under assumed names. The series of events is known as the Petrov Affair. [1]
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In 2008, a new embassy site at 29 Forster Crescent, Yarralumla, was allocated to Russia, with completion of the new building by 2014. [2] In 2011, it received building permission.
In August 2022, after a lack of activity, the NCA sought return of the unfinished site within 20 days on a "use it or lose it" basis. This seemed to coincide with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, however the NCA denied any link. [2]
In September 2022, the Russian embassy took the NCA to court. [3]
In May 2023, Justice Steven Rares of the Federal Court of Australia sided with the Government of Russia, and ordered the NCA not to re-enter the land, take possession of the land, or interfere with the Russian government's "quiet enjoyment of the land". [2]
On 15 June 2023, the Parliament of Australia passed the Home Affairs Act 2023 in one day through both houses of parliament. "The Home Affairs Bill 2023 terminates, on commencement, the relevant lease... ", effectively returning the land to the Commonwealth of Australia which would be "liable to pay a reasonable amount of compensation". The Bill was said to be necessary "to protect Australia's national security interests", according to Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs. [4]
As at 23 June 2023, the Government was aware that a Russian diplomat was squatting in the Yarralumla property, after a stand-off with Australian Federal Police which chose to not detain the person due to diplomatic immunity. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, commented that "A bloke standing in the cold on a blade of grass in Canberra is not a threat to our national security." [5]
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is the domestic intelligence and national security agency of the Commonwealth of Australia, responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically motivated violence, terrorism and attacks on the national defence system. ASIO is a primary entity of the Australian Intelligence Community.
The history of Canberra details the development of the city of Canberra from the time before European settlement to the city's planning by the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin in collaboration with Marion Mahony Griffin, and its subsequent development to the present day.
Yarralumla is a large inner south suburb of Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Located approximately 3.5 km (2.2 mi) south-west of the city, Yarralumla extends along the south-west bank of Lake Burley Griffin from Scrivener Dam to Commonwealth Avenue.
Griffith is an early inner-south suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
The Yarralumla brickworks, also known as the Commonwealth Brickworks, was one of the earliest construction projects in Canberra, Australia. It was built in the suburb of Yarralumla to produce the bricks used to build many of Canberra's early buildings. It opened in around 1913 and operated until its closure in 1976. It is known for producing the bricks used to build itself. Narrow gauge goods railway lines for the transportation of bricks linked Yarralumla to some of the major building sites in central Canberra such as Old Parliament House, and the Kingston Power House. No sign of this early Canberra transport system remains today.
Government-owned housing in Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory has a history stemming from the decision to build the National Capital in the bush. In the early years Canberra's housing was entirely government-built and even after private development took over there has been a number of government houses included in almost every new suburb. Typical Canberra public housing is built on a limited number of plans repeated through an area of a suburb, with two or three bedrooms and constructed in unfinished brick veneer. They typically range in size from around 80 m2 to 130 m2. The term Govie is a colloquialism used to describe the typical Canberran government built house.
The Albert Hall is a hall in Canberra, Australia, used for entertainment. It is on Commonwealth Avenue between Commonwealth Bridge and the Hotel Canberra in the suburb of Yarralumla.
The Embassy of Germany in Canberra is Germany’s diplomatic mission to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Nauru. The current German ambassador, Beate Grzeski, has been in office since September 2023. She and her team take care of the bilateral relationship between Germany and Australia, which includes the political, economic, cultural, military as well as scientific and press fields.
The Embassy of Finland to the Commonwealth of Australia is Finland's diplomatic mission in Canberra, Australia. The mission is also accredited to New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. As it is the only Finnish Embassy in the Southern Pacific region (Oceania), in practice the embassy also represents Finland in its relations with other Pacific island states in the region.
The Embassy of the United Statesin Canberra is the embassy of the United States to Australia. It is one of the largest embassies in the Australian capital Canberra, located in the centrally-located suburb of Yarralumla. It is situated close to The Lodge, the official Canberra residence of the Prime Minister of Australia, and is equally close to Parliament House, the centre of Australia's government. Built in the Georgian style of architecture, it was founded in 1942 and occupied by the end of the next year.
Foreign relations between Australia and Russia date back to 1807, when the Russian warship Neva arrived in Sydney as part of its circumnavigation of the globe. Consular relations between Australia and the Russian Empire were established in 1857. Diplomatic relations between Australia and the Soviet Union were established in 1942, and the first Australian embassy opened in 1943. Due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations became very tense after Australia imposed sanctions against Russia. Russia placed Australia on a list of "unfriendly countries", along with South Korea, the United States, European Union members, NATO members, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Switzerland, Micronesia, Canada, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Diplomatic relations between Australia and Ukraine were established in 1992. Ukraine has had an embassy in Canberra since March 2003 and the Australian Embassy in Kyiv was established in December 2014, however, Australia closed its embassy in Kyiv in February 2022 due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In December 2024, it was announced that Australia would reopen its embassy in Kyiv in January 2025 under ambassador Paul Lehmann.
The Embassy of Australia in Moscow is the diplomatic mission of Australia to the Russian Federation. The current head of post and Ambassador of Australia to the Russian Federation is John Geering. The embassy serves as the diplomatic mission for Australia to the Russian Federation, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The chancery is located at 10A/2 Podkolokolny Lane in the Tagansky District of Moscow.
Foreign relations are present between Australia and Finland. Diplomatic relations were established on 31 May 1949. Australia is represented in Finland through its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, and through an honorary consulate in Helsinki. Finland has had an embassy in Canberra since 1978, alongside honorary consulate generals in Melbourne and Perth, honorary consulates in Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, and Sydney, and an honorary vice-consulate in Cairns.
The British High Commission Canberra is the diplomatic mission of the Government of the United Kingdom to Australia, representing the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom's interests. It is located on Commonwealth Avenue along with the High Commissions of New Zealand and Canada in the Canberra suburb of Yarralumla. The current British High Commissioner is Vicki Treadell who was appointed in 2019.
The Commonwealth Club is a private members' club in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, founded by Frank Lukis in 1954.
Embassy of Estonia in Canberra is Estonia's diplomatic mission to Australia and New Zealand.
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Canberra is the diplomatic mission of Indonesia in Australia, which also doubles as the former's mission to Vanuatu. The current ambassador, Siswo Pramono, took office in October 2021.
The Embassy of the Philippines in Canberra is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the Commonwealth of Australia. It is currently located at 1 Moonah Place in the Yarralumla suburb of south Canberra, just beyond the periphery of Parliament House.
The Home Affairs Act 2023 (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia to cancel the Russian Federation's lease on a new embassy site within 500 metres of Parliament House. The Albanese Government introduced the Act in light of the Federal Court's decision in Government of the Russian Federation v Commonwealth of Australia Anor that the National Capital Authority's decision to terminate the lease was invalid.
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