Russian ambassador to Ireland 'doesn't know' if spy infiltrated Leinster House
Russian ambassador Yuriy Filatov: Subject of Russian threat caught his attention.
The Russian ambassador has said he does not know if Leinster House has been infiltrated by a Russian spy.
It was reported last year that a member of the Oireachtas, who was given the codename Colbalt, had been ensnared within a 'honeytrap' and has been used as a Russian spy within Ireland’s political system.
In a wide-ranging interview with the , Yuriy Filatov has suggested that ulterior motives may have been at play and questioned why such reports "crop up at certain points in time".
Asked about the existence of such a person, Mr Filatov said: "I don't know anything about this except what I have read in the papers, I don't know this type of individual, I was very surprised and curious about the whole thing.
"These things happen, it's not the first, probably not the last time you will see these kind of stories played up.
"You have to judge it, why do these crop up at certain points in time? You have to look in whose interest is this?
"And certainly I do believe from time to time, certain people, who are not very much fond of Russia, they need something to keep the temperature up on this."
When he was pressed on the matter and asked to confirm that no member of the Oireachtas has been compromised by Russia he said: "I don't know, I am totally unaware of that.
"Please yourself on my [position], I don't know who, when, how or whether, if there is such a person and I really am not sure about it."
Mr Filatov took aim at comments made by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, suggesting the remarks were a "political propaganda exercise with certain aims".
The ambassador has now called on Mr Martin to clarify his remarks, claiming they are based on unsubstantiated anti-Russian "clichés".
In an interview with the Irish Examiner published on Saturday, Mr Martin warned of a threat to undersea cables off the coast of Ireland and highlighted an "existential fear" among other EU countries of a possible Russian advance.
Russia launched an illegal incursion into Ukraine almost three years ago that has so far seen more than 100,000 Ukrainians flee the war and move here, with millions more forced to move abroad including to neighbouring EU countries.
Outlining plans to ramp up spending on our defence capability, Mr Martin said: "We need to understand that this is not these countries being war mongers or anything like that, these countries are genuinely fearful because they've had history with Russia."
Mr Filatov said he would "welcome" clarification around the comments, but added that it would be "a pretty difficult thing to do" as there is nothing to substantiate the claims made in relation to Russia.
Mr Filatov said: "When I read the interview, unfortunately there was nothing surprising, nothing new there, although the subject of the Russian threat certainly caught my attention.
"This is probably one of the most abused Russian-related subjects, both in the political circles here in Ireland and in the West in general and may I say in the mainstream media.
"I hadn't seen anything in your conversation with the prime minister [Taoiseach] which would substantiate this kind of claim that Russia somehow threatens Ireland or Europe, there is nothing, no proof of that.
"Some specific realistic proof of a threat or even hostile intentions of Russia towards Ireland and that makes me wonder about the motives when people use this, I would say, cliché."
In contrast he said an incident involving a naval exercise in January 2022, which eventually saw the Russian vessels leave Irish maritime space, shows that Russia "listened carefully to the fishing community" and does not pose a threat.
"That in my view is a good illustration that the claim of threat, it's just a political propaganda exercise with certain aims and I have my own understanding of what that could be.
"In order to achieve your own political goals, promote your agenda, you always need some pretext and the Russian threat is a very comfortable, convenient pretext for whatever."
The ambassador suggested that the US has managed to take advantage of the war in Ukraine to entice European countries to purchase American energy.
Reacting to a suggestion made by the Taoiseach that European countries should stop purchasing Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it only bolsters the war effort in Ukraine, the ambassador said: "One of the major aims of the 'Ukrainian project' by the US, they have managed to grab the European energy market, which I see the prime minister [Taoiseach] supports, he was in favour of Europeans buying American LNG.
"Under the circumstances it makes you wonder what are the motives here, the US certainly didn't bother to hide their intention to rearrange things in Europe."
He added that the US has been "driving the wedge between Europe and Russia".
"Where Ireland buys its gas it's up to Ireland to decide, but we always welcome any customers, we have proven to be an absolutely dependable source of energy and we are still selling that to willing customers, even in Europe."
He added that the world is "bigger than Europe" and even if states do pull out of buying Russian LNG it will not have an impact on Russia's economy.
Mr Filatov said that overall sanctions imposed on Russia since the outbreak of war have "really boomeranged against European economies".
"Sanctions, probably they had some positive effect for us. We reoriented, instead of depending on imports we have developed our industry more, agriculture is thriving, they probably are praying 'please don't do anything to sanctions, keep them'.
The agricultural production in Russia has multiplied.
"So, it's a very unfortunate political development in Europe, in hindsight, it's quite clear that the US has gained economically, politically and geopolitically, more than anyone else from that. Certainly, Europe has lost on all fronts."
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