Russia has turned on Australia, suggesting it will retaliate, after the federal government decided to block the building of new embassy premises.
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"To our regret, Australia diligently continues to move in the main stream of the authors of the Russophobic hysteria that is now taking place in the Western countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Russian Tass news agency.
"Australia is trying to be an excellent student there," the Kremlin spokesman told reporters.
Mr Peskov pointed out that the Russian side would take what Tass called "the new unfriendly lunge" into account.
"Another unfriendly display from Australia. We will take this into account and if there are issues on the agenda that require the principle of reciprocity, we will act accordingly," Mr Peskov said.
![Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, left, responded to the decision to stop work on the new Russian embassy. Pictures Shutterstock and Keegan Carroll Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, left, responded to the decision to stop work on the new Russian embassy. Pictures Shutterstock and Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3BUUzmFAhrhLyX9rFCubPq5/5ec2469a-c2eb-4f00-9099-4635c7be589a.jpg/r0_0_3840_2159_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He did not say what any retaliation might be - though it's difficult to see what further measures Russia might take given that relations are already so poor. Because of the invasion of Ukraine, Australia operates sanctions against Russia. It also supplies the Ukrainian military with troop carriers.
The Kremlin's outburst follows the Australian government's announcement that it would stop the switch to the new embassy site despite Russia winning a court case allowing it to do so.
"The government has received very clear security advice as to the risk presented by a new Russian presence, and so close to Parliament House," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
"We're acting quickly to ensure the lease site does not become a formal diplomatic presence. The government condemns Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.
"To be clear, today's decision is one taken in the national security interests of Australia."
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The government moved quickly after the announcement in the morning, rushing legislation through both houses of parliament in the afternoon in little more than an hour with the coalition's backing.
Mr Albanese intervened after the National Capital Authority lost the court case a month ago after it had tried to evict the Russian government from the new site.
In Canberra, the federal government's decision to block the move of the embassy was welcomed by security experts and opponents of the Moscow regime protesting in Canberra.
"We thank the Albanese government and we thank the opposition for supporting it," Marusya Jacyshin said as she waved a Ukrainian flag outside the existing embassy.
The move to the new site was really an expansion of the embassy, said John Blaxland, one of the country's most reputable experts on the security services.
"This is something which is intolerable for Australia," Professor Blaxland of the ANU added.
He said the existing embassy was being extended, with new floors below ground, indicating the Russian government had no intention of vacating the site. It was an expansion and not a move.