Ireland won’t expel Russian diplomats despite ‘threatening’ statement about death of Finbar Cafferkey in Ukraine

Junior minister Kieran O’Donnell said that while he agreed with the words of his Fine Gael colleague Charlie Flanagan that the statement warning the Irish Government over supporting Irish people who are fighting for Ukraine was “chilling” ambassador Yuriy Filatov and other diplomats would not be expelled.

The Russian embassy in Irelandhas pointed the finger at the Irish Government and media for the death of Mr Cafferkey, who was killed fighting in Ukraine last week.

Mr Cafferkey, a veteran of the Shell to Sea campaign, from Achill Island in Co Mayo, who had fought against Isis in Syria, died fighting against Russian forces near the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting in the Ukraine war in recent months.

In a statement on Thursday night, the Russian embassy to Ireland said the Irish Government and media bore responsibility for his death.

It said that if remarks made by Tánaiste Micheál Martin meant the Government supported Irish people fighting in Ukraine “then Ireland would be the direct participant of the conflict with all the ensuing consequences”.

"We have noted that on April 28 [the] Tánaiste has expressed his sympathies to the family of Finbar Cafferkey following reports of his death fighting presumably with the Ukrainian military against Russian armed forces. Mr. Martin called him ‘obviously a young man of clear principles,’” the statement read.

“Every loss of life is sad and regretful. We do not know who Finbar Cafferkey was, except that for whatever reason he was fighting in a foreign land. We do not know what his principles were. What we do know, though, is that in a very big way it is the Irish Government and media to who bear responsibility for the death of Finbar Cafferkey. It has been the Government and media who have been promoting anti-Russian propaganda, distorting the truth about the conflict in Ukraine, misleading people like Finbar Cafferkey. Now they face the results of their own efforts.”

The embassy continued: “We also do not know if Mr. Martin’s remarks signify support for the Irish to take part in combat in Ukraine, but we do know that if that is the case, then Ireland would be the direct participant of the conflict with all the ensuing consequences.”

In response, former justice minister Charlie Flanagan called for the Russian ambassador to Ireland, Yuriy Filatov, to be expelled.

"Threatening, intimidating & chilling statement by Russian embassy Dublin. These hostile remarks are unacceptable. Beyond time Ambassador Filatov & his crew were asked to leave our country,” the Laois-Offaly Fine Gael TD and chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence wrote on Twitter.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday With Colm Ó Mongáin, junior minister for local government Kieran O’Donnell said however that diplomatic lines must be kept open in order to assist Irish citizens who have made a home in Russia and the surrounding countries.

He added that the message has to “go out loud and clear” that Ireland is a militarily neutral country. “We are not politically neutral and we stand firmly behind the Ukranian people,” he said.

“They’re entitled to defend their borders from the illegal invasion from Russia. We would ask the Russian ambassador and the Russian federation and President Putin to withdraw from Ukraine and go back to the pre-war borders and engage in constructive peace discussions.

“What the ambassador said was insensitive, more particularly for the family.”

“The statement has been put out by the Department of Foreign Affairs and that’s very firmly telling and stating on the record our position.”

Mr O’Donnell added: “Russia has carried out an illegal and brutal invasion of Ukraine. We have over 70k Ukranian people here who our support is unwavering for them and through our partners in Europe, we stand firmly behind Ukraine.”

Earlier on Friday, Tánaiste and foreign minister Micheál Martin expressed his sympathies to the family of Mr Cafferkey.

Mr Martin said: "My deepest sympathies to the Cafferkey family on the sad passing of Finbar.

"He obviously was a young man of clear principles.

"Our thoughts and our prayers are with the family today.

"I think the family have asked for privacy, I'm not going to comment any further on it at this particular time. I'll allow the family space to grieve what is a very, very sad loss for them."

In a statement on Saturday, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs reiterated the Government’s support for Ukraine but said diplomatic ties with Russia would be maintained.

"This is in the interests of our own citizens, both in Russia itself and in the five central Asian republics to which Ireland is accredited via our Embassy in Moscow," it added.

“The Government’s position in respect of Russia’s brutal and illegal aggression against Ukraine is crystal clear,” the department said.

"Ukraine has a right to defend this attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter."

Mr Cafferkey, who was in his 40s, had previous combat experience in the Syrian conflict and had been active in the Shell to Sea campaign against the Corrib gas pipeline in his native Mayo.

He had travelled to Syria to volunteer with the YPG in their fight against Isis in Rojava.

He has been described in online tributes as a "respected activist".

A statement on the Shell to Sea group's website said: "We are all heartbroken to hear of the death of our brave friend Finbar, who was guided by the principles of freedom and equality for all.

"Heartfelt sympathies to all his family and friends. Rest in peace."

He had participated in rallies with the group.

Mr Cafferkey's activism on environmental issues, homelessness and migration has also been praised in tributes.

Also speaking on RTÉ on Saturday, People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith said she does not believe Mr Cafferkey’s death should “influence” the Irish Government’s decision regarding Russia in the future.

Deputy Smith, who personally knew the deceased from his campaigning work, said she does not think “for one second” that he would have been “influenced by the political position of the Irish Government”.

“He was a free thinker. I wouldn’t agree that we should be encouraging young men and women to go out and fight with those forces. But having said that, I respect his life and his death,” she said.

“Finbar and his family would not like his life and death to be made a political football in this situation. I don’t think the Irish Government should use it, and I think the Russian ambassador was way out of order.

“I believe he owes an apology to the family.”