Russians should 'rethink' plans for Victory Day rally in Dublin

Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking at Shannon Airport said: “All of our minds should be focused on that continuing crime against humanity that is occurring in Ukraine, and there can be no equivocation about that or ambivalence about that."

Russians in Ireland should rethink their plans to hold Victory Day rallies, Micheál Martin said today.

He was asked if organisers should think twice before holding rallies on May 9. It is understood that one rally is due to be held in Dublin, being organised by the Council of Russian Compatriots of Ireland and an organisation called the Immortal Regiment of Ireland.

They have said the rally, to mark the end of the war against Germany, will be peaceful and those attending have been asked not to use the 'Z' symbol that Russian tanks and other military vehicles have painted on during their ongoing war against Ukraine.

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The Taoiseach said organisers should “absolutely” think twice about marking in public what is a Russian bank holiday and is marked by huge memorial ceremonies and rallies in honour of Russian soldiers who died in World War II.

Mr Martin said: “I think the situation now given what's happening in Ukraine, it's a crime against humanity.

"All of our minds should be focused on that continuing crime against humanity that is occurring in Ukraine, and there can be no equivocation about that or ambivalence about that.

“And that's where all our energies should be focused right now.” His comments came after he met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, who stopped briefly at Shannon Airport on his way to Washington.

The two men discussed “the appalling massacres” and the continuing attacks on civilians and on towns.

Mr Martin said: “Very clearly the strategy of the Putin regime is not just in terms of killing people, but also causing huge international instability around energy and around food.” He said an example of this was the fact that Ukraine’s largest grain silos “have all been levelled”.

He added: “It's a very clear strategic objective there to create a food crisis on top of the energy crisis that has been created, as well as waging an immoral and unjust war on Ukraine itself.”