Russian squatter diplomat advances after Australian court ruling

Russia has been building a new embassy on rubble-covered land near Australia’s parliament but was ordered to remove the tools after intelligence officials said the project posed a threat to national security.

Australia’s attempts to seize the land were quickly thwarted by a middle-aged Russian diplomat, who was sent on Friday to occupy a small security shed on the site.

The unlikely standoff came to an end on Monday when Australia’s High Court upheld the government’s attempts to evict Russia from the site.

“The court has made it clear that there is no legal basis for the continued Russian presence at the site at this time,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.

“We hope that the Russian Federation will act in accordance with the court ruling.”

The squatted diplomat moved in shortly after the High Court issued its ruling, ignoring questions from reporters as he was driven away in a car with diplomatic license plates.

He braved freezing temperatures during his brief tenure, binging on TV, eating vegetable chips and sporadically going out into the cold to smoke cigarettes.

Australia’s parliament last week passed laws specifically aimed at stopping the construction of a Russian embassy on the site, which is about 400 meters (440 yards) from the parliamentary compound.

“The government has received very clear security advice about the risk posed by a new Russian presence so close to Parliament House,” Albanese recently told reporters.

“We are moving quickly to ensure that the leased site does not become a formal diplomatic presence.”

Russia challenged the legislation in the high court and accused Australia of “Russophobic hysteria”.

High Court Judge Jayne Jagot has ordered the Russian Federation to vacate the site until a proper hearing can be arranged.

The Russian embassy in Australia had confirmed in a statement that its “employees” were staying on site “to ensure the security” of its building.

Albanese also announced Australia’s latest military assistance package for Ukraine on Monday, which includes 28 M113 armored personnel carriers and an undisclosed number of 105mm howitzers.

“We support international efforts to ensure that Putin’s aggression fails and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity prevail,” Albanese said.

The package is worth $74 million.

It does not include the Hawkei light armored patrol vehicles and more Bushmaster infantry vehicles, both of which were requested by Ukraine.

Ukraine has also asked Australia about the status of dozens of retired F-18 fighter jets. No mention of planes in the last package.