The Embassy of Australia in Moscow is the diplomatic mission of Australia to the Russian Federation. The current head of post and Ambassador of Australia to the Russian Federation is Graeme Meehan. The embassy serves as the diplomatic mission for Australia to the Russian Federation, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The chancery is located at 10A/2 Podkolokolny Lane () in the Tagansky District of Moscow. Australia opened diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union in 1942. Between 1942 and the present day, the embassy has undergone numerous changes to both location and function as a result of changing relations between the two nations. These include changes to the status of the embassy – from unofficial diplomatic mission to consulate and finally embassy, changes to the nations the embassy is responsible for servicing, and specific events in the Australia-Russia relationship that have modified the operation of the embassy, the most notable of which being the Petrov Affair which culminated in the expulsion of the embassy and the cessation of official diplomatic relations between Australia and the Soviet Union in 1954. History Russian Empire (1803–1917) Though Australia and the Russian Empire had held de jure relations since 1803, official relations between the Australian colonies and the empire were not made until 1857, with the appointment of two honorary consuls to Australia by the Russian Empire; James Damyon in Melbourne and E.M. Paul in Sydney. In 1890, the Russian government in Saint Petersburg concluded that Anglo-Russian relations in the south Pacific were important enough to appoint a career diplomat to represent the Russian Empire in the Australian Colonies. The Imperial Ministry for Foreign Affairs established the position of Imperial Russian Consul to the Colonies in Melbourne. Despite the establishment of official relations between the two nations, no permanent embassy or ambassadorial position was ever established by the Australian colonies of the Commonwealth of Australia in the Russian Empire. Soviet Union (1917–1954) After the defeat of the White Army in the Russian Civil War in 1922, the United Kingdom recognised the Soviet Union as the legitimate successor of the Russian Empire in 1924. Following the outbreak of the Second World War and the land invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany, the Labor Government of John Curtin began to discuss the opening of diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. The Congress of Friendship and Aid to the Soviet, a body created