Situation 'difficult' as Russians face hostility in Ireland over Ukraine invasion, Ambassador claims
Russian ambassador to Ireland Yuri Filatov speaking at a press conference at the Russian Embassy in Dublin.
The Russian Ambassador to Ireland, Yuri Filatov, has told a Russian TV channel that Ireland is at the forefront of the European Union in staging anti-Russian events.
Sitting at a desk in front of a Russian flag this week, Mr Filatov listed out a series of complaints against the treatment of Russians in Ireland to Russia-24, the state-owned Russian-language news channel, in an extraordinary interview.
In a week where the United Nations estimates Russia’s bombardment of civilians in their homes, schools, and hospitals has forced a million to flee Ukraine, the ambassador spoke of damage to Russia’s Dublin embassy from Irish protestors and Russian children being bullied in Irish schools.
At one point in the six-minute interview broadcast on the State channel which has an audience of millions of Russians, the ambassador said it was “probably hardly possible to talk now about any relations between Russia and Ireland” but added: “We are mainly supporting a channel of communication with the Irish.” In the interview with Russia-24, he claimed the Irish didn’t understand the situation and took sides without analysis.
When asked about threats to Russians in Ireland at the start of the interview, which has also been viewed on YouTube in Russia by thousands, he said the situation was “frankly difficult” and protested that the media was portraying a biased version of events in relation to Ukraine.
He said: “Naturally the general political situation is simply hostile towards Russia and everything Russia.
“A very negative role, of course, is being played by mass media that shows absolutely tendentious picture of the events happening in Ukraine at the political level, but Ireland is in the forefront in the European Union and wider with regards to various anti-Russian events.
“In this regard, it is probably hardly possible to talk now about any relations between Russia and Ireland. We are mainly supporting a channel of communication with the Irish.
“There is probably a certain sense in this because even in these difficult periods there is need in them.”Â
He quoted Russia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, with a reference to the West going “crazy” over the Ukraine invasion.
“As our minister, Sergey Lavrov said in the interview maybe they will stop going crazy in the West and went understand where was and how in reality but for now we are dealing with what we have.”Â
The Russia-24 YouTube channel, which can’t be accessed from Ireland, has 8.6 million subscribers.
The ambassador went viral globally last week in an RTÉ interview with David McCullagh on the Six One News where he called the Russian Ambassador an “apologist for slaughter”.
RTÉ Six One interview with Russia’s Ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov | Live updates: https://t.co/65zqcDbQ9X pic.twitter.com/1y7QfJUkh7
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 25, 2022
In a week when Amnesty International reported indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and hospitals by the Russian army, the ambassador said the Irish embassy in Rathmines in Dublin is in “extreme tension”.
“We are registering constant threats against employees of the embassy that we are receiving via email and phone calls.
“For several days, there are protest manifestations next to the embassy, quite often very rough and violent, but of course, we are taking all safety precautions.” He went on to voice concern to his state TV station that the entrance gate to the Irish embassy had been disfigured adding: “So-called art goes beyond all boundaries, painted with everything they had.” He said there was a “police presence” with the embassy continuing to work as usual but he added: “It's not an easy psychological background.” He said Russian people had come to the embassy with reports of children being bullied at school.
“This is very sad, because in general in my opinion, Irish are kind and responsive but sometimes when absolutely don't understand the situation they take sides without any analysis and they act based on it. This is influencing our kids unfortunately who are studying here.” When the Russia-24 interviewer, asked if there was a way for employees of the embassy to protect our Russian citizens, the ambassador replied it was important to protect the embassy first.
He said: “This reminds of a situation when they tell you safety instructions on the plane about the oxygen masks. The first rule is to put the mask on yourself and then to help the others.” When asked if the Irish police were reacting adequately to complaints he said they were “adequate”.
He ended the interview by saying there were around 10,000 Russian-speaking people in Ireland, with almost half who are Russian citizens.
“As for tourists and people who are stuck here because of the difficulties with returning to Russia due to closed airspace we registered several dozen, maybe around 80, not more.
“Of course, they have difficulties, but people are gradually leaving, there's indirect routes to Russia through cities like Istanbul. For now, that's it.”
A leading member of the Russian community in Ireland said yesterday there was major concern over the interview and wanted it made clear that Ambassador Filatov does not represent the views of the Russian community in the country.
"Many Russian people living in Ireland have gone on Twitter to voice their objections to the interview and to say he doesn't represent them.
"They also know going public about their views means they can no longer go back to Russia until Putin is dead.
"This was on a major news programme that everybody would have been watching in Russia. It's very hostile."
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