Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated today, Thursday, that "the government has received direct security advice concerning the risks that a new Russian entity could pose near the Parliament." Albanese noted that "today's decision was made to safeguard Australia's national security." He added that his government "acted swiftly to ensure that the leased site does not turn into an official diplomatic presence, and that the cancellation of the lease will not impact the current Russian embassy in Canberra."
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed regret that Australia continues to enthusiastically propagate a hysteria of hostility towards Russia, which is spreading collectively among Western nations. He added, "This is another hostile action on Australia's part, and we will take it into account, and if matters arise that require reciprocal measures, we will act accordingly."
