Australia looking hard at Russia’s diplomatic profile

Several Russian diplomats have quietly left Australia since their country’s invasion of Ukraine in February amid concerns about Kremlin-backed intelligence operations in this country.

Several Russian diplomats have quietly left Australia since their country’s invasion of Ukraine in February amid concerns about Kremlin-backed intelligence operations in this country.

While the personnel who had been based in Canberra and elsewhere have not been formally expelled, it is understood they were denied extensions to their visas prompting them to leave.

Sources confirmed some were suspected of foreign interference, acting as agents of influence to sow division and discord predominantly in the local Russian community and “actions not consistent with Australia’s values and interests”.

Others were being used as Kremlin propaganda tools to promote President Vladimir Putin’s globally condemned “security operation” in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: Valeriy Sharifulin/Sputnik/AFP

“We can confirm several personnel from the Russian embassy have departed Australia in recent months after completing their terms,” one government source said.

It is known Australian intelligence agencies were involved in providing material on those who have now left. They will also be tasked with monitoring who, if anyone, is now being nominated by Moscow to replace them.

The offices of Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Picture: Emma Brasier

“The Australian government is looking hard at Russia’s diplomatic profile in Australia,” was all a spokeswoman for the foreign minister would say. They would not comment on visas.

The Russian Embassy was contacted for comment.

Russian ambassador Dr Alexey Pavlovsky, who has been in the post since May 2019, has vocally sought to legitimise Russia’s actions – and in an unrelated court matter his lawyers had already raised the prospect he could soon be booted out of Australia.

Dr Pavlovsky, who has been accused of contempt by accusing “brainwashed” Australians of ignorance over Russia’s actions, has said any move to throw him out of the country would be met with reciprocal actions from Moscow.

“With foreign interference there’s legitimate attempts to influence the work of the Australian government, all the embassies around are an example, but it’s the covert nature of foreign interference that is a concern,” said one official familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Outside the Russian Embassy in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

“The former government outlawed the most egregious of foreign interference you could think of, but there is all this grey area of attempts of interference … we need a strong democracy to deal with what’s going on in the region and the world, and if we don’t have that we are in trouble. What’s so affronting about foreign interference is that if we tried to do it in other countries, people would be in jail or kicked out but we actually follow judicial process and a system that relies on fairness and equity.”

Australia has just one person with formal diplomatic credentials in Moscow, ambassador Graeme Meehan, down from the normal staff of six, with some visa applications not being secured.