Irish parliament demands expulsion of Russian ambassador

The Irish parliament has called for the Russian ambassador to be expelled from the country over his threats caused by Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin honouring an Irish volunteer who died near Bakhmut while defending Ukraine from Russian invaders.

Michael Martin honoured the memory of Finbar Cafferkey, who died in Ukraine and who, the minister said, “was a young man of clear principles”.

Finbar Cafferkey, who was in his 40s, was a native of Achill Island in County Mayo

In response, the Russian embassy sharply warned the Irish authorities against encouraging the Irish to participate in the war in Ukraine. They blamed Cafferkey’s death on the “Irish government and media”, which allegedly spread anti-Russian propaganda and “distorted the truth about the conflict in Ukraine”.