LAST UPDATE | 7 Apr 2022

TWO IRISH DIPLOMATS have been asked to leave Russia by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that the Irish ambassador to the Russian Federation, Ambassador Brian McAlduff, was summoned to the Moscow Foreign Ministry earlier today.

He was informed that two Irish diplomats from the Irish Embassy in Moscow were asked to leave Russia.

In a statement this evening, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said that there is “no justification for the taking of this measure”.

“The staff at the Embassy of Ireland in Moscow do not have, nor are engaged in, any duties or functions which are incompatible with their diplomatic status,” said Coveney.

He added that reducing the size of the Irish embassy in the Russian capital would “significantly reduce” their abilities to provide services to Irish citizens in Russia and make it more difficult to maintain diplomatic channels with Russia.

In a statement this evening, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Russia said that the move was in response to the “unfriendly and groundless steps” taken by Ireland to expel Russian embassy staff.

Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs expelled four Russian Embassy staff after saying that their actions were not in line with diplomatic standards.

“It was emphasized that in the event that the government of Ireland continues its destructive line in the Russian direction, Dublin should not have the slightest doubt about Moscow’s determination to respond proportionately to any hostile steps,” said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry also called on the Irish Government to “remove the obstacles to the work of the Russian Embassy in Dublin and ensure normal conditions for the functioning of our diplomatic mission”.

Last week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil that the decision was made to expel the Russian staff due to briefings from Irish security officials.

After the expulsion of the embassy staff, the Russian Embassy in Ireland said that the decision would “not go unanswered”.

Ambassador McAlduff was previously summoned to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Moscow in early March, after a truck was crashed through the gates of the Russian Embassy on Orwell Road.

When asked by The Journal about further detail on the expansions, the Department of Foreign Affairs said:

The Department will not be commenting on details of the expulsions.

Additional reporting by Gráinne Ní Aodha