Embassy of Russia, London

Embassy of Russia in London
Location	Kensington, London
Address	6/7 Kensington Palace Gardens, London, W8 4QP
Coordinates	51°30′28.1″N 0°11′27.4″W

The Embassy of Russia in London is the diplomatic mission of Russia in the United Kingdom.^[1] The main building and Consular section is located at 5 and 6-7 Kensington Palace Gardens at the junction with Bayswater Road; the Ambassador's Residence is located in a separate building at 13 Kensington Palace Gardens (Harrington House).^[1] Russia also maintains a Defence Attaché's Office at 44 Millfield Lane, Highgate, and an Office of the Trade Representative at 33 Highgate West Hill, Highgate.^[1]

History

The embassy of the Russian Empire was located at Chesham Place, Belgravia;^[2] this then functioned as the Embassy of the new Soviet Union from 1924 to 1927.^[2] Diplomatic relations were suspended during the period 1927–1929, and following their resumption the Soviet government moved to the various buildings on Kensington Palace Gardens.

In 1946 the Soviet government bought Seacox Heath, a country house in East Sussex, as a weekend retreat for its staff.^[3]

Following the dissolution of the USSR, the Russian Federation inherited the former Soviet properties in the UK.^[2] But this was not recognized by Ukraine and in 1999 it initiated litigation, which like the case with most other former Soviet embassies around the world, left the situation unresolved.^[4][5] Although previously the Russian Federation was able to register its property rights, it since then lost the rights to sell or rent it out.^[6] In 2022 it was reported that the British Government was considering gifting the house at Seacox Heath to the Ukrainian Government as compensation for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[7]

Protests

Anti-war signs in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 27 February 2022

The embassy has seen several protests over the years:

• 2008 – the Cluster Munition Coalition and Landmine Action protested against Russia's alleged use of cluster bombs in the 2008 South Ossetia War between Russia and Georgia^[8]
• 2008 – Pro-Georgian protesters, opposed to Russia's role in the recent South Ossetia War, gathered outside the embassy^[9]
• 2011 – Peter Tatchell and supporters protested about gay rights in Russia^[10]
• 2012 – a protest was held by people opposed to the jailing of the punk band Pussy Riot^[11]
• 2012 – opponents of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria (which is strongly supported by Russia) protested outside the embassy, allegedly damaging it^[12]
• 2013 – a large protest, attended by actor Jude Law and musician Damon Albarn, took place outside the embassy following the arrest of several Greenpeace activists in the Pechora Sea^[13]
• 2013 – a protest occurred seeking to free the journalist Kieron Bryan and the Greenpeace activists^[14]
• 12 April 2017 – a protest attended by hundreds was held to condemn the alleged establishment of prison camps for gay men in Chechnya^[15]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was alleged that Russian planes bombed a children's hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine. Tweets from the Embassy of Russia about this were deleted by Twitter because the tweets were in violation of the Twitter Rules, specifically the 'Hateful Conduct and Abusive Behavior' policies related to the denial of violent events.^[16]

Gallery

• 
  Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev at the Soviet Embassy in London, 1 April 1989
• 
  The embassy as seen from Bayswater Road
• 
  Plaque outside the embassy on Bayswater Road in English and Russian depicting the Coat of arms of Russia
• 
  The Ambassador's Residence at 13 Kensington Palace Gardens
• 
  Memorial to Alexei Navalny across from Russian Embassy in London, 17 February 2024

See also

• List of ambassadors of Russia to the United Kingdom

References

1. "The London Diplomatic List" (PDF). 8 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2013.
2. "No.13 Kensington Palace Gardens: Harrington House". 8 December 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
3. Lawson, Athena (30 November 1999). "A little dacha in the Sussex woods". The Times. No. 66685. p. 5. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
4. Vlasenko, Victoria (14 December 2021). Закордонні активи СРСР: що досі не поділили Росія й Україна [Foreign assets of the USSR: what Russia and Ukraine have not shared so far]. DW (in Russian).
5. Свое среди чужих [One's own among strangers]. Kommersant Power (in Russian). 30 January 2001.
6. Раздел СССР затянулся на десятилетия [The division of the USSR dragged on for decades]. delo.ua (in Russian). 1 January 2007.
7. Hollingsworth, Mark; Midolo, Emanuele (9 July 2022). "Seacox Heath castle retreat 'used by Russian spies' may be seized". The Times. London. ISSN 0140-0460.
8. "Campaigners condemn Russia's use of cluster bombs". 19 August 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
9. Bloxham, Andy (10 August 2008). "Anti-Russian protest by pro-Georgians outside London embassy". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
10. "London protest against Russia ban on Moscow Gay Pride". 1 July 2011. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
11. "Russian Embassy protest supports 'Pussy Riot' - London". 23 April 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
12. "Russia protests to Britain regarding attack on Russian Embassy in London". Vestnik Kavkaza. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
13. "Jude Law joins protest over Greenpeace piracy charges". BBC News. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
14. "Protest to free Kieron Bryan at the Russian Embassy, London". 2 November 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
15. Grafton-Green, Patrick (12 April 2017). "Hundreds protest against 'gay concentration camps' in Chechnya outside London's Russian Embassy". Evening Standard. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
16. Elias, Jennifer (10 March 2022). "Twitter removes tweets by Russian Embassy in United Kingdom for denying 'violent events' in Ukraine". CNBC. Retrieved 10 March 2022.

External links

• Official site