In a significant ruling, an Australian court has dismissed a Russian claim seeking to halt its eviction from a site in Canberra, where it had been barred from constructing its new embassy.
The Australian government introduced fresh legislation on June 15 to terminate Russia’s lease on the land, located approximately 400 meters (437 yards) away from Parliament House. The decision to end the lease came after intelligence agencies raised concerns about the site posing a threat to national security.
Russia, which acquired the lease in 2008 but failed to develop any structures there, launched a last-minute legal challenge in an attempt to prevent its eviction. During the proceedings, a man was spotted squatting on the premises. Russia claimed he was a security guard, but the court dismissed the argument.
High Court Justice Jayne Jagot characterized Russia’s constitutional challenge to the lease termination law as “weak” and “difficult to understand.” Shortly after the ruling, the squatter left the fenced-off compound and departed in a vehicle bearing diplomatic license plates.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, “The court has unequivocally stated that there is no legal basis for Russia’s continued presence on the site at this time.” He called on the Russian Federation to comply with the court’s decision.
Russia purchased the lease from the Australian government in 2008 and obtained approval to construct its new embassy on the site in 2011. The Russian Embassy, which currently operates from the former Soviet embassy in the Canberra suburb of Griffith, remains unaffected by the eviction.
The Russian Embassy has yet to issue an immediate response to the court’s ruling. Previously, Russia had accused Australia of engaging in “Russophobic hysteria” by canceling the lease. However, the court’s decision stands, signaling an imminent eviction for Russia from the disputed Canberra embassy site.