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Anthony Albanese has renewed his call for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine as Russia was plunged into crisis and pro-Putin protesters marched on Kirribilli House in Sydney on Saturday.
The protest was held over the decision to block the building of a new Russian embassy near Parliament House.
Roughly 20 protesters waving Russian and Australian flags, posters of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and placards mocking Albanese called on the government to keep its hands off the Russian embassy.
On 15 June Australia’s parliament passed laws to terminate the lease for a new Russian embassy within 500 metres of Parliament House after advice on potential security risks.
Protest placards read “Who is Albo” and “deep state lap dog”, while others wore T-shirts sporting the Russian pro-military Z symbol.
Russia has launched a high court bid to have the laws overturned.
The protest came on the same day as Moscow implemented anti-terrorist measures after Russia’s FSB security service opened a criminal case for armed mutiny against Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The mercenary chief had accused the Russian military of targeting his forces and vowed to “destroy” his rivals.
On Saturday afternoon, Australian time, Prigozhin said in a new video message that all military sites in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don were under the Wagner mercenary group’s control. The Guardian has not been able to verify his claims.
When asked on Saturday about the reports the Wagner chief was attempting to stage a coup in Russia, Albanese did not comment directly but said the war in Ukraine was illegal.
“My view is very clear. That the Russian invasion of Ukraine is illegal, is a breach of international law,” Albanese said.
“[It] shows no respect for the sovereignty of a democratic nation, and Russia should withdraw from this action. It should withdraw today. It is Russia and its involvement that keeps this war going. The people of Ukraine are showing incredible courage in fighting not just for their national sovereignty, but fighting for the international rule of law to be upheld.”
On the high court challenge to the legislation cancelling Russia’s planned lease of land close to Parliament House for an embassy, Albanese previously said he was confident in the government’s position and the matter was acted on national security advice, and would be dealt with in accordance with Australian law.
The application for an injunction is listed to be heard on Monday morning.
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The Australian federal police are monitoring a Russian diplomat squatting in a shed on the proposed site, but have been unable to arrest him due to diplomatic immunity.
Albanese described the man as “some bloke standing on a blade of grass” who posed no threat to national security.
Meanwhile, late on Friday the Australian government announced sanctions against three men involved in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, including two Russian nationals.
The government had been working with the Netherlands and European Union to coordinate sanctions on the trio convicted by the district court of The Hague in November 2022 for their contribution to the downing of the passenger flight and the murder of all 298 people on board, including 38 Australian citizens or residents.
The sanctions target Russian Sergey Dubinskiy and Ukrainian national Leonid Kharchenko, who were both found guilty in the court and sentenced to life in jail.
Australia has also sanctioned Russian national Sergey Muchkaev, a colonel with the Russian Armed Forces.
Muchkaev in July 2014 was the commander of the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, which supplied the Buk-Telar missile system that downed MH17.
Another convicted perpetrator, Igor Girkin, was sanctioned by Australia in 2014 for supporting separatist activity in eastern Ukraine.
“As either separatist leaders within the so-called ‘People’s Republic of Donetsk’ at the time of the downing of Flight MH17, or a member of the Russian armed forces, the three people sanctioned actively supported actions and policies that threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said.
“These sanctions demonstrate the Australian government’s ongoing commitment to hold to account those responsible for the downing of flight MH17.”
Australia has called on Russia to cooperate with the Netherlands to ensure the perpetrators serve their sentences in the Dutch legal system.
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