The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ireland has condemned the Government's decision to expel four of its diplomats, saying the move “will not go unanswered.”
In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said four senior officials had been asked to leave the country as their activities had “not been in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour”.
The Russian embassy responded publicly shortly after, condemning the move in a statement posted on Twitter.
#Statement by the Embassy of Russia pic.twitter.com/sEdQizOGVx
— Russia in Ireland (@Rus_Emb_Ireland) March 29, 2022
“The Embassy of Russia in Ireland has been informed by the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland of the decision by the Government of Ireland to request that four members of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy leave Ireland shortly, because allegedly their actions have been found to be unacceptable,” it said.
“The Embassy rejects such qualifications of the work of our diplomats.
“This is [an] arbitrary, groundless decision, which can only deteriorate further Russian-Irish relations, already damaged by the Irish participation in illegitimate EU sanctions against Russia.
“The Embassy proceeds from the assumption that such a step by the Irish side will not go unanswered.”
Ambassador's future
Amid the war in Ukraine, protesters in Ireland have continued to call for the expulsion of Russian diplomats, including Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov.
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald welcomed the move to expel the four diplomats on Tuesday, saying the expulsion of the Ambassador must follow.
Government Ministers have previously defended the Ambassador's presence in the country, saying a breakdown of diplomatic relations must be avoided in order to support Irish citizens in Russia.
Mr Filatov previously told Russian TV that Ireland is “hostile to Russia and everything Russian,” accusing the country of being to the forefront of “anti-Russian events” in the European Union.
He said protesters had been “really aggressive” at the country’s embassy in Dublin and said some Russian children faced bullying in schools.
