The Russian Ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov, has told a Russian TV channel that Ireland is at the forefront of the European Union in staging anti-Russian events.
Sitting at a desk in front of a Russian flag this week, Mr Filatov listed out a series of complaints against the treatment of Russians in Ireland to Russia-24, the state-owned Russian-language news channel, in an extraordinary interview.
In a week where the United Nations estimates Russia’s bombardment of civilians in their homes, schools, and hospitals has forced a million to flee Ukraine, the ambassador spoke of damage to Russia’s Dublin embassy from Irish protesters and Russian children being bullied in Irish schools.
At one point in the six-minute interview broadcast on the state channel, which has an audience of millions of Russians, the ambassador said it was “probably hardly possible to talk now about any relations between Russia and Ireland” but added: “We are mainly supporting a channel of communication with the Irish.”
In the interview with Russia-24, he claimed the Irish didn’t understand the situation and took sides without analysis.
When asked about threats to Russians in Ireland at the start of the interview, which has also been viewed on YouTube in Russia by thousands, he said the situation was “frankly difficult” and protested that the media was portraying a biased version of events in relation to Ukraine.
He said: “Naturally, the general political situation is simply hostile towards Russia and everything Russia.
“A very negative role, of course, is being played by mass media that shows absolutely tendentious picture of the events happening in Ukraine at the political level, but Ireland is in the forefront in the European Union and wider with regards to various anti-Russian events.
“In this regard, it is probably hardly possible to talk now about any relations between Russia and Ireland. We are mainly supporting a channel of communication with the Irish.
“There is probably a certain sense in this because even in these difficult periods there is need in them.”
He quoted Russia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, with a reference to the West going “crazy” over the Ukraine invasion.
“As our minister, Sergey Lavrov said in the interview maybe they will stop going crazy in the West and will understand where, what and how in reality, but for now we are dealing with what we have.”
The Russia-24 YouTube channel, which can’t be accessed from Ireland, has 8.6 million subscribers.
The ambassador went viral globally last week in an RTE interview with David McCullagh on the Six One News where he called the Russian Ambassador an “apologist for slaughter”.
In a week when Amnesty International reported indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and hospitals by the Russian army, the ambassador said the Irish embassy in Rathmines in Dublin is in “extreme tension”.
“We are registering constant threats against employees of the embassy that we are receiving via email and phone calls.
“For several days, there are protest manifestations next to the embassy, quite often very rough and violent, but of course, we are taking all safety precautions.”
He went on to voice concern to his state TV station that the entrance gate to the Irish embassy had been disfigured adding: “So-called art goes beyond all boundaries, painted with everything they had.”
He said there was a “police presence” with the embassy continuing to work as usual but he added: “It's not an easy psychological background.”
He said Russian people had come to the embassy with reports of children being bullied at school.
“This is very sad, because in general in my opinion, Irish are kind and responsive but sometimes when absolutely don't understand the situation they take sides without any analysis and they act based on it. This is influencing our kids unfortunately who are studying here.”
When the Russia-24 interviewer, asked if there was a way for employees of the embassy to protect our Russian citizens, the ambassador replied it was important to protect the embassy first.
He said: “ This reminds of a situation when they tell you safety instructions on the plane about the oxygen masks. The first rule is to put the mask on yourself and then to help the others.”
When asked if the Irish police were reacting adequately to complaints he said they were “adequate”.
He ended the interview by saying there were around 10,000 Russian-speaking people in Ireland, with almost half who are Russian citizens.
“As for tourists and people who are stuck here because of the difficulties with returning to Russia due to closed airspace we registered several dozen, maybe around 80, not more.
“Of course, they have difficulties, but people are gradually leaving, there's indirect routes to Russia through cities like Istanbul. For now, that's it.”
A leading member of the Russian community in Ireland said there was major concern over the interview and wanted it made clear that Ambassador Filatov does not represent the views of the Russian community in the country.
"Many Russian people living in Ireland have gone on Twitter to voice their objections to the interview and to say he doesn't represent them.
"They also know going public about their views means they can no longer go back to Russia until Putin is dead.
"This was on a major news programme that everybody would have been watching in Russia. It's very hostile."
The full transcript of the interview is available below
Russia-24 interviewer: “Hello, hello. Do you think there's a threat to employees of Russian diplomatic mission in Ireland and to our fellow citizens who are located there?
Ambassador Yury Filatov: “The situation is, frankly, difficult. Naturally, the general political situation is simply hostile towards Russia and everything Russia. A very negative role of course is being played by mass media that shows absolutely tendentious picture of the events happening in Ukraine at the political level, but Ireland is in the forefront in the European Union and wider with regards to various anti-Russian events.
“In this regard, it is probably hardly possible to talk now about any relations between Russia and Ireland. We are mainly supporting a channel of communication with the Irish.
“There is probably a certain sense in this, because even in these difficult periods there is need in them, but as our minister Sergey Lavrov said in the interview maybe they will stop going crazy in the West and will understand where, what and how in reality, but for now we are dealing with what we have.
“The embassy is now in the extreme tension. We are registering constant threats against employees of the embassy that we are receiving via email and phone calls. For several days, there are protest manifestations next to the embassy, quite often very rough and violent, but of course we are taking all safety precautions.
“There're already results: they disfigured the entrance gate to the embassy, fence of the embassy. So-called art goes beyond all boundaries, painted with everything they had.
“We are solving this issues with the police, with the Irish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in general, we would want more but at least for now we have police presence which we could use.
The Embassy is working as usual although it's not an easy psychological background. As regards to our fellow citizens the Russians of course the current situation influences them. There's pressure on activists from our fellow citizens' movement. They receive threats of reprisal. There 're already certain measures, for example they closed radio station ‘Russian hour’ that was broadcasting here for Russians.
“The problem that we have and the people come to us with is children in schools
“Unfortunately there are cases of bullying, and this is very sad, because in general in my opinion Irish are kind and responsive but sometimes when absolutely don't understand the situation they take sides without any analysis and they act based on it. This is influencing our kids unfortunately who are studying here.
Russia-24 interviewer: "Is there a way for employees of the embassy to protect our citizens somehow?"
Ambassador Yury Filatov: “Of course we would like to. Let's just say for us the question is to protect the embassy. This reminds of a situation when they tell you safety instructions on the plane about the oxygen masks. The first rule is to put the mask on yourself and then to help the others. In some way this is related to the current situation.
“We are limited here in what we can do. we are staying in contact with them supporting each other and giving advice. If there will be specific cases we will escalate to the ministry of foreign affairs.
“Our people are keeping well, we know about cases when they contacted police which is correct. In this case, if necessary, we can provide an advice to them."
Russia-24 interviewer: “And the police are reacting adequately or do they brush it aside?"
Ambassador Yury Filatov: “No, they are adequate. Of course, they are obliged to register the application and they are doing it. The question is how it can actually influence the situation. But for now, I'm not aware of any emergency cases.
Russia-24 interviewer: “When I say brush aside, I mean, there were examples from schools when they were bullying and teachers don't really do anything. How many Russian citizens are currently in Ireland? Both tourists and permanent residents
Ambassador Yury Filatov: “According to our estimates usually there around 10,000 Russian speaking people, almost half are Russian citizens, which is 5,000. These numbers are probably quite correct. As for tourists and people who are stuck here, because of the difficulties with returning to Russia due to closed airspace, we registered several dozen, maybe around 80, not more.
“Of course, they have difficulties but people are gradually leaving, there's indirect routes to Russia through cities like Istanbul. For now, that's it."
Russia-24 interviewer: "Thank you for finding the time to answer our questions live. Thank you for your comments. This is Yury Filatov, Russian Ambassador to Ireland."
