The Russian ambassador's invite to deliver a national address has been withdrawn after reports the nuclear power has bombed civilian targets in Ukraine.
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The National Press Club said it was no longer appropriate for Russian Ambassador Dr Alexey Pavlovsky to appear at the media event in Canberra.
Chief executive Maurice Reilly on Friday morning issued a statement saying Dr Pavlovsky's invitation had been withdrawn in response to recent allegations of war crimes being committed within Ukraine.
Mr Reilly added the press club was a champion of free speech and strongly condemned the media censorship in Russia.
"The club stands by its principles of encouraging free speech and promoting a balanced national discussion of the big issues of the day and reserves the right to revisit this decision at a later date," he said.
"Under new laws in Russia both local and international journalists face charges of high treason and 15- to 20-year jail terms for reporting the facts.
"This situation should not be tolerated and has no place in a democratic society."
Invitations to Dr Pavlosky and Ukrainian Chargé d`Affaires Volodymyr Shalkivskyi were sent weeks earlier when the tensions quickly arose.
Mr Shalkivskyi delivered his address on Thursday, warning Moscow's "sick" plan to restore the former Soviet Union would not end with Ukraine's invasion.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko - a military ally of Russia - has declared his intention to have ports in the Baltic Sea, a warning Ukraine's top diplomat in Australia said indicated Ukraine was not the end goal.
"It is a clear sign that this is the long-term strategy," he said on Thursday.
Dr Pavlovky made a rare media appearance in late January to allay concerns Russia was planning an all-out conflict with Ukraine and to dismiss "unkind' Western propaganda.
He said Russia's move to send more than 100,000 troops to the border, in conjunction with an increase in military exercises in the region, was a "funny way" to prepare for war.
"Our troops are not a threat," Dr Pavlovsky said in late January.
"They are a warning to Ukraine not to try any reckless military adventures, not to interpret the support they have from the West as carte blanche to do such crazy things."
Russian troops entered the eastern European country less than a month later.
Sarah Basford Canales
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at sarah.basfordcanales@canberratimes.com.au or confidential tips to sbasfordcanales@protonmail.com.
I'm a federal politics and public sector reporter with an interest in national security, integrity and regulation. Contact me with general tips and thoughts at sarah.basfordcanales@canberratimes.com.au or confidential tips to sbasfordcanales@protonmail.com.
