Ireland says Kremlin expelling two of its diplomats

Ireland said Thursday two of its diplomats in Moscow have been asked to leave, just over a week after Dublin kicked out four Russian diplomatic officials it accused of spying.

“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,” Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said in a statement.

“There is no justification for the taking of this measure,” he added, noting that staff at Ireland’s embassy there “do not have, nor are engaged in, any duties or functions which are incompatible with their diplomatic status”.

Coveney said the forced downsizing of the “relatively small” Irish presence in the Russian capital would “significantly reduce” its ability to support its citizens in Russia and “maintain diplomatic channels of communication” with the Kremlin.

The tit-for-tat expulsions, taken in the shadow of Moscow’s war in Ukraine, began when Dublin asked four senior Russian officials to leave for engaging in activities “not… in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour”, diplomatic code for spying.

On the same day early last week fellow European Union members Belgium, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands also expelled dozens of Russian diplomats suspected of spying, in a coordinated action by the smaller countries.

Bigger nations including the United States, France and Germany have also expelled dozens of Russian officials in recent weeks, prompting reprisals by Moscow.

Confirming Thursday’s retaliatory expulsions against Ireland, Russia’s foreign ministry said it had “strongly protested against the unfriendly and unfounded measures taken by the Irish authorities”.

It added Dublin had been warned that Moscow was determined to “respond proportionately to any hostile moves,” branding Ireland’s actions towards it “destructive”.