Russia expels two Irish diplomats, Foreign Affairs Minister says expulsions 'unjustified'

It comes after Ireland last week expelled four Russian diplomats based at the country’s Orwell Road embassy in Dublin who were suspected of spying.

In a statement this evening, Minister for Foreign Affairs said the Irish diplomats’ expulsions were unjustified.

“The Ambassador of Ireland to the Russian Federation was summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow this afternoon and informed that two diplomats from our Embassy in Moscow have been asked to leave,” he said.

“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.

“This decision to reduce the size of our relatively small Embassy in Moscow will significantly reduce our ability to provide services to our citizens in Russia and to maintain diplomatic channels of communication with the Russian Federation.”

The move comes after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Dáil, thanking Ireland for its help for his country but urging the Government to use its influence to press EU partners to impose even harsher sanctions on Russia.

More to follow…