Russian Embassy's "threatening" statement blames Irish Government for death of Finbar Cafferkey
The statement has been described by Government as "threatening, intimidating and chilling".
The Russian Embassy in Ireland, located on Dublin's Orwell Road, last night warned Government that its expressions of sympathy towards the family of Finbar Cafferkey, could result in Ireland being considered a "participant of the conflict with all the ensuing consequences".
Mr. Cafferkey, who was originally from Achill Island in County Mayo, was killed battling Russian Forces in the east of Ukraine, with his family confirming his passing on Thursday.
In the statement released on Russian social media site Telegram, the Embassy also stated that the coalition Government and Irish media "bear responsibility" for the death of Mr. Cafferkey.
Finbar Cafferkey was volunteering as a fighter in eastern Ukraine, having had previous combat experience in Syria.
Earlier on Friday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin had described Mr. Cafferkey as "obviously a young man of clear principles".
Referring to this comment in their statement, the Russian Embassy said that "Every loss of life is sad and regretful. We do not know who Finbar Cafferkey was, except 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 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".
TD Charlie Flanagan has called for the expulsion of Russian Ambassador Yury Anatoliyevich Filatov from Ireland. (Credit: Rolling News)
Concluding the statement, the Russian Embassy added further questioning to the Tánaiste's comments, saying that it did 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".
Issuing a swift response to statement, the chairman of the Dáil Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence Charlie Flanagan, denounced the Embassy's remarks as "threatening, intimidating and chilling".
The Laois TD went on to add that "These hostile remarks are unacceptable. Beyond time Ambassador Filatov and his crew were asked to leave our country".
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