The Nightly’s Andrew Greene is on Putin’s banned list. Why was he invited to a Russian embassy party?

Surrounded by trays of vodka and the sounds of a male orthodox choir, the Russian Embassy’s national day celebration in Canberra was an unexpected setting for an Australian journalist, sanctioned by Moscow, to find themselves on a Friday night.

When Vladimir Putin’s regime added dozens of Australians to a “permanent stop list” in 2024 to punish the Federal Government for its “anti-Russian agenda”, this correspondent’s name was included.

Recently however, an invitation arrived from the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Mikhail Petrakov, requesting the pleasure of my company to help celebrate his country’s national day on June 12.

With a little trepidation, and after quips from witty colleagues to “not drink the tea”, my journalistic curiosity got the better of me and I headed along to the invitation-only event last week.

Inside an upmarket Canberra hotel, the function room was packed with hundreds of members of the local Russian community, along with diplomats from Moscow-friendly nations including China and Iran, all gathered to toast the motherland.

“Our legitimate interest is to ensure our own security,” the ambassador told an audience which included diplomats from other member nations of the BRICS intergovernmental coalition of emerging economies such as Brazil and India.

“Like any country, we are concerned that our history should continue, that our people should develop under the most favourable external conditions possible, and that we secure economic growth, resolve social issues, and improve the population’s wellbeing.”

As Vladimir Putin’s so-called “Special Military Operation” against Ukraine drags into a fourth year, now longer in duration than World War I, the Russian ambassador recited Kremlin talking points to defend the ill-fated attempted invasion.

“The SMO was a response to a critical situation, where we had to protect those innocent civilians who had been for years subjected to humiliation and genocide by the Kiev regime, to ensure demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine.”

Barely 72 hours after Russia’s national day celebrations had taken place, Moscow again launched a series of devastating strikes against the territory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most significant spiritual and cultural landmarks of Ukraine.

Speaking in Russian to address his “compatriots living in Australia”, Petrakov declared the Embassy and Consulate General in Sydney “have always been and will be your good friends in Australia”.

“We are open to cooperation with anyone who is committed to concrete action,” he told the Russian speakers in the room, including members of the Orthodox Church and women dressed in traditional costume.

“Today, more than ever, it is important for all who love Russia and want to help it, wherever and however possible, in word and deed, to unite, preserving historical memory, especially that of the Great Victory”.

Referencing the Kremlin-backed annual parades staged in Russia and around the world known as the “Immortal Regiment”, he told the local diaspora that it was essential to preserve “our civilisational heritage and religious and cultural roots, traditional values, and the Russian language.”

Earlier in the day, Russia’s Consulate in Sydney was the centre of another pro-Russian propaganda effort for the June 12 celebrations, as mobile billboards depicting Vladimir Putin toasting with champagne were driven in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

“A message of staunch Russian patriotism… Get used to it because Russia’s not going anywhere and Putin’s Russia will never be defeated,” organiser and pro-Putin propagandist Simoeon Boikov told 7NEWS on Friday from inside the Sydney consulate.

Three years ago, Russia’s embassy in Canberra was revealed to be operating a “hive of spies”, posing as diplomats, which was uncovered and dismantled by Australia’s domestic intelligence agency ASIO.

In November ASIO boss Mike Burgess confirmed his organisation was also investigating several pro-Russian social media influencers in Australia who were “almost certainly” receiving directives from the Kremlin.

“Deliberately hiding their connection to Moscow – the propagandists try to hijack and inflame legitimate debate. They use social media to spread vitriolic, polarising commentary on anti-immigration protests and pro-Palestinian marches,” Mr Burgess said.

Since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 the Australian government, along with many other nations, have shunned Russian embassy events, and in Canberra Russian diplomats are barred from joining most official events as a protest to the war.

While no DFAT officials were present for Friday’s national day event, vocal Australian supporters of Russia including former diplomat and author Tony Kevin were invited to join the celebrations.

During the Canberra reception, guests were also invited to view the Ambassador’s personal photographic exhibition “Twin Inspirations: Moscow & Saint Petersburg”, as well as a display of traditional Russian costumes.

Then after roughly two hours of formal and informal proceedings, the National Day celebrations were over, and for the record, this sanctioned journalist did not sample the vodka, which was in ample supply, but is still banned from travelling to Russia.