Russian embassy land to be released to another country after Australian court rules to terminate lease

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• By Avi Yemini

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The High Court has upheld the government’s decision to terminate the lease of Russia’s embassy site in Canberra.

Russia had sought an injunction against the termination.

But Justice Jayne Jagot ruled this week that there was no compelling reason why Russia should be allowed to retain the site and that there were no legal grounds for granting an injunction.

The Albanese government passed laws earlier this month allowing them to terminate the lease of diplomatic sites on grounds of national security.

A Russian diplomat who had been squatting in a shed on the site left the property in a diplomatic-plated van on Monday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese applauded the court’s decision.

“The court has made clear that there is no legal basis for a Russian presence to continue on the site at this time,” he on Monday.

“We expect the Russian Federation to act in accordance with the court’s ruling.”

The National Capital Authority granted the lease for the Yarralumla site in December 2008.

Under the lease conditions, Russia had agreed to finish construction of the embassy by 2014 but the facilities remain unfinished.

Lawyers for Russia argued that millions of dollars would be wasted if they were evicted from the property.

Mr Albanese said the land would not be re-leased to another country or be used as an embassy site in the future.