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Russia's 'squatter' diplomat moves on after Australian court ruling

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Yoann Cambefort, Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A Russian flag flies above the coat of arms of the Soviet Union on the Russian Parliament building in Moscow, Russia, 31 August 2022. Maxim Shipenkov, EPA-EFE/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/09/13/20220913-russia.jpg"/><figcaption>A Russian flag flies above the coat of arms of the Soviet Union on the Russian Parliament building in Moscow, Russia, 31 August 2022. Maxim Shipenkov, EPA-EFE/file</figcaption></figure></div>CANBERRA, Australia -- A mystery Russian diplomat ended his short-lived solo defiance of the Australian government Monday after a top court forced him to stop squatting on the site of a planned embassy.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/06/23/23/squatting-russian-diplomat-sparks-standoff-in-australia">Squatting Russian diplomat sparks standoff in Australia</a></li></ul>Russia has been building a new embassy on a rubble-strewn plot near Australia&#x27;s parliament but was ordered to down tools after intelligence officials said the project posed a threat to national security.Australia&#x27;s attempts to seize the land quickly were thwarted by a middle-aged Russian diplomat, who was despatched on Friday to squat inside a small security shed on the site.The unlikely standoff was brought to an end on Monday when Australia&#x27;s High Court backed the government&#x27;s attempts to evict Russia from the site.&quot;The court has made clear that there is no legal basis for a Russian presence to continue on the site at this time,&quot; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.&quot;We expect the Russian Federation to act in accordance with the court&#x27;s ruling.&quot;The squatter-diplomat moved out soon after the High Court handed down its ruling, ignoring questions from journalists as he was whisked away in a car with diplomatic plates.He faced frigid temperatures during his brief occupation, entertaining himself with television, snacking on vegetable chips, and sporadically stepping out into the cold to smoke cigarettes.<div>Legal battle </div>Australia&#x27;s parliament last week passed laws specifically aimed at stopping a Russian embassy from being built on the site, which sits about 400 meters (440 yards) from the parliamentary precinct.&quot;The government has received very clear security advice as to the risk posed by a new Russian presence so close to Parliament House,&quot; Albanese recently told reporters.&quot;We are acting quickly to ensure the lease site does not become a formal diplomatic presence.&quot;Russia challenged the legislation in the high court and has accused Australia of &quot;Russophobic hysteria&quot;.High Court Justice Jayne Jagot 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 &quot;employees&quot; were staying at the site &quot;to ensure the safety&quot; of its building.Albanese also announced on Monday Australia&#x27;s latest package of military assistance for Ukraine -- including 28 M113 armored personnel carriers and an undisclosed amount of 105mm howitzer rounds.&quot;We support international efforts to ensure Putin&#x27;s aggression fails and that Ukraine&#x27;s sovereignty and territorial integrity prevails,&quot; Albanese said.The package is worth US$74 million.It does not include Hawkei light armored patrol vehicles or more Bushmaster infantry vehicles -- both of which Ukraine had requested.Ukraine has also asked Australia about the condition of dozens of retired F-18 fighter jets. There was no mention of the jets in the latest package.<div>sft/arb/pbt</div><div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Russia challenged the legislation in the high court and has accused Australia of 'Russophobic hysteria.'

Russia's 'squatter' diplomat moves on after Australian court ruling

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Russia's 'squatter' diplomat moves on after Australian court ruling

Yoann Cambefort,

Agence France-Presse

Published Jun 26, 2023 05:29 PM PHT

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Canberra

Australia

RUSSIA

DIPLOMACY

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UKRAINE

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