Russia’s Proposed Embassy Location Raises National Security Concerns in Australia

Since 2008, Russia has been renting a site right next to the Australian Parliament building in Canberra, where Moscow planned to place a new embassy building.

Albaniz said that after receiving recommendations from the intelligence services, laws would be passed blocking the construction on national security grounds.

“The government has received very clear security advice regarding the risk that the new Russian presence poses so close to the parliament building,” the prime minister said.

According to him, Australia does not prohibit Russia from having diplomatic missions on its territory, but wants the new embassy not to be located next to the parliament.

“We do not expect Russia to be able to talk about international law, given that it rejects it so consistently and so brazenly with its invasion of Ukraine,” the prime minister added.

Aid to Ukraine from Australia

Earlier it was reported that Australia plans to supply Ukraine with remote weapon systems (RWS) worth up to $80 million. It is stated that the Australian government will announce another package of military assistance to Ukraine in July.

It also became known earlier that the United States and Australia are jointly working on a package of assistance to Ukraine on the supply of ammunition for Ukraine.

In addition, recently the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine invited Australia to join the “tank coalition”, giving us Abrams M1A1 tanks, which the country replaced with newer ones.