Filatov: 'No ambiguity about the fact that Ireland is not neutral in the Ukrainian conflict'
Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury Filatov warned: 'There is no way around the fact that by engaging with Ukrainian military, be it on mines or otherwise, Ireland would clearly be involved in the ongoing conflict in a direct way.'
If Ireland helps Ukrainian forces demine areas of the war-torn country, the country will be putting itself directly in conflict with Russian forces, according to the Russian Ambassador to Ireland.
Yury Filatov said a recent Dáil debate about Ireland’s neutrality has helped illustrate that there is “no ambiguity about the fact that Ireland is not neutral in the Ukrainian conflict”.
In a statement issued this afternoon, he warned: “There is no way around the fact that by engaging with Ukrainian military, be it on mines or otherwise, Ireland would clearly be involved in the ongoing conflict in a direct way.”
The statement came off the back of a debate in the Dáil during which Taoiseach Micheál Martin clashed with People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy.
Mr Murphy had accused the Government of “very cynically” using Russia’s “imperialist and brutal invasion of Ukraine” to “drive a coach and horses through what is left of the idea of neutrality”.
He mentioned this in the context of Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney’s announcement that Ireland’s Defence Forces will participate in an EU's demining training mission for Ukraine soldiers next month.
Mr Murphy said: “It is very clear that this is the next step in the Government's determined effort to involve Ireland in European and eventually NATO military undertakings.”
Mr Martin replied: “One might imagine we had contrived the war to enable us to do this. It is a shocking thing to say. We are not doing that at all.
“I reject the claim in its entirety.”
The Taoiseach also accused Mr Murphy of attacking Ireland during the debate on October 25, and not Russia.
The Russian ambassador said: “There is a footnote to be made to the press reports of a heated debate in Dáil on October 25 regarding the issue of Irish participation in various EU military programs, including that of a military assistance to Ukraine.
“The Taoiseach is quoted as saying that Ireland is taking part in the EU training mission for the Ukrainian army following a request by the Kyiv regime to help with demining, given the Irish expertise in that. There is a lot of ambiguity involved.
“Training in demining is not entirely a defensive and peaceful activity — as any military expert would confirm, this process involves learning the process of laying mines as well.
“At the same time, in our view, there is no ambiguity about the fact that Ireland is not neutral in the Ukrainian conflict — the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, and other Irish officials are on record about that — which seems to be the bottom line.”
He also flatly denied Russian soldiers are involved in “any activities that would intentionally hurt civilians”.
He made that point in response to Mr Martin’s statement during the October 25 debate.
Mr Martin said: “A real problem for Ukraine is that as Russian forces vacate areas, there are mines left behind.
“We know armies like the Russian army leave stuff behind them, which will lead to children having their legs amputated when they step on mines and so on.”
The ambassador said: “We reject any assertion that the Russian armed forces, as Micheal Martin put it, ‘would leave stuff behind where kids will have their legs amputated.
“Russian military is not engaged in any activities that would intentionally hurt civilians.”
