| Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C. | |
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| Location | Washington, DC, United States |
| Address | 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. |
The Embassy of Russia in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation to the United States. The chancery is located at 2650 Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C..[1][2]
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The Embassy of the Russian Federation is rightfully considered to be one of the biggest in Washington D.C. area. "Mount Alto" on Wisconsin avenue, where the Embassy complex is situated, was leased to the Soviet government for 85 years on the basis of the agreement between the USSR and the U.S., concluded in 1969. Under the agreement of 1972 the same territory in Moscow was leased to the U.S. for a new Embassy on the same conditions. The second agreement also stated that both sides should start using their new buildings simultaneously.
The embassy was designed by well-known Soviet architect Michael Posokhin, who designed the State Kremlin Palace, and a number of other constructions in Moscow. The residential building, the school, the kindergarten and sports grounds were all complete in 1979. Administrative and ceremonial buildings were finished in 1985.
There was controversy over the eavesdropping from there.[3] In the late 1980s, the FBI and the National Security Agency built a tunnel under the embassy for espionage purposes, but it was never successfully exploited due to FBI agent Robert Hanssen disclosing information about the operation to the KGB.[4][5]
In September 1994, during his visit to the U.S. the Russian President Boris Yeltsin together with the U.S. President Bill Clinton inaugurated the new ceremonial building of the Russian Embassy.
In 1985, Vitaly Yurchenko redefected here, after eluding his handlers, at the Au Pied de Cochon restaurant in Georgetown.[6][7][8]
In 2010, there was a protest there about interference in Ukraine.[9]
The Russian ambassador's residence is located at 1125 16th Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C. It served as the Embassy of Russia until 1994.