It's not the usual view of Russia. And Tchaikovsky it ain't.
Forget the stories about the clamp-down on opposition to President Vladimir Putin or the poisoning of former spies (which, it should be said, the Russian government denies).
The big push from the Russian Embassy is a song in praise of the Russian diplomats in Canberra, sung by them and with views of the city as the backdrop.
The House of the Russian Embassy goes to the tune of The House of the Rising Sun but the opening line is changed to "There is a house in Canberra" instead of New Orleans.
It has to be said that the three musicians (two guitars and keyboards) do it very well.
They are First Secretary Ruslan Arutyunov (black guitar), Third Secretary Evgenii Ilin (brown guitar) and Counsellor Anton Chirva (keyboards and vocals).
Press secretary Ilya Roshchenkov who conceived the idea said, "It reflects our work here in Australia. Maybe it's entertaining. It is a peaceful message."
They filmed in places of high sensitivity like Parliament House, complete with instruments.
At one stage, suspicious Australian police asked them what they were doing, but allowed them to proceed when the Russians assured them it was not a commercial video. Otherwise, there could have been a diplomatic incident.
Like all good musicians, they had to shoe-horn the words into the tune so they pronounce Canberra with three syllables (Can-ber-ra) to get the lyrics to fit the music.
And they cut off the "assy" at the end of embassy, presumably because the full word wouldn't fit the music.
"They call the Russian emb ...
"And it's been the home for many smart ones,
And, God, I am among them".
And so on.
The video is tongue in cheek. There is a glint of humour. At one stage, the musicians thank Mother Russia for doing such a good job on sewing their blue suits.
They croon: "My mother is my country. She sewed my new blue suit."
There is some diplomatic formality: "My father is the MFA" - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There are nifty filming techniques like drone shots and jump cuts - though the result is not quite as fast and disjointed as some disorientating pop videos.
At one stage, the backdrop is Parliament House. The next moment, the musicians are on the roof of the Russian ambassador's residence, looking out towards the Manuka Oval.
And two musicians at the start somehow become three by the end - but that's allowed in pop videos.
The lyrics are diplomatic: "The only thing a diplomat needs is a pen and a paper piece,
"And the only time he'll be satisfied is when the world's in peace.
Oh mother, tell your children to work for safer world."
The end shot reveals that it's for "Happy Diplomats Day" which Russian embassies around the world celebrate on February 10.
India celebrates Indian Foreign Service Day on October 9 but The Times of Indiasays International Diplomats Day, when lots of countries celebrate it, is on October 24.
Maybe there should be an international conference so they could work an agreed date out together. Where's the UN when you need it?
