Protesters rally at Russian Embassy as lease termination goes to High Court

Supporters of Ukraine have assembled outside the Russian Embassy in Canberra one day after Russia announced it would take the federal government to court.

The crowd gathered at the embassy in Griffith on Saturday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Protesters have gathered outside the Russian Embassy in Canberra to show support for Ukraine as an ongoing legal dispute between the Australian and Russian governments over the lease of a new embassy site near parliament goes to the High Court.

The modest rally assembled outside the current Russian Embassy, located in Griffith, at 10am on Saturday.

Referring to the site as the “terroruzzian embassy”, event organisers called on fellow supporters to show solidarity with Ukraine in its “imminent defeat over Putin”.

Protesters called for an end to the war in Ukraine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The rally comes amid a lease dispute between the Australian and Russian governments over the site of a new Russian Embassy in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The event sought to “promote fundraising and support activities for Ukrainians” in Australia, while event organisers urged the government to “supply military aid and to put more pressure” on the Russian government.

Dressed for the brisk Canberra weather, supporters were seen waving flags and holding up signs, calling for an end to the war in Ukraine and for the Russian Embassy to be scrapped.

The Friends of Ukraine group says it holds the rally every Saturday at the same time and place, and helps to raise funds for general supplies, humanitarian needs, medical supplies and other items.

The Friends of Ukraine members braved Canberra’s chilly weather on Saturday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Last week the federal government passed legislation to cancel the Russian government’s lease on a site in Yarralumla, where it was building a new embassy.

The government cited security concerns for the intervention, given the closer proximity of the Yarralumla site to Parliament House.

On Friday afternoon lawyers acting on behalf of Russian Ambassador Alexey Pavlovsky filed an injunction in the High Court to challenge the government’s decision.

The Kremlin is challenging the new laws on constitutional grounds, arguing the commonwealth didn’t have just terms for terminating its lease, according to court documents.

The squatter was photographed at the site of the new Russian Embassy in Yarralumla which is under construction. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese said last week he had received “clear national security advice” that the proximity of the Yarralumla site to parliament could enable “potential interference” by Vladimir Putin’s envoys to Australia.

Saturday’s rally comes after a suspected diplomat was photographed illegally squatting at the construction site on Thursday, casually dressed and smoking a cigarette.

Russia will seek to block the government from entering the Yarralumla site or from taking any steps to re-lease the parcel of land until the legal dispute is resolved.

An initial hearing is expected to take place on Monday.