Irish in Russia: ‘It’s business as usual in Moscow’

Sitting in the back of a taxi driving through Moscow city centre, Co Armagh-born Hugh McEnaney described the mood of the Russian capital as calm.

Although the streets were quiet on Tuesday afternoon, there was a heavy police presence in central Moscow, in anticipation of protests that evening over Russia's decision to invade Ukraine.

Mr McEnaney (51), who grew up in Dublin and moved to Moscow in 2007, says he does not have "the budget to uproot" and leave Russia, in the wake of financial sanctions from the European Union and the US amid the invasion.

Speaking about the conflict, Mr McEnaney said he tried to remain “apolitical” about most matters. “If I was in Ukraine and my home was being bombed it would be a different story,” he told The Irish Times.

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There was an air of “panic” among some European expats living in Russia, with many seeking to make urgent arrangements to leave the country, he said.

Mr McEnaney had met his wife, a Russian woman, while travelling in southeast Asia, and later moved with her to Moscow where they now live.

The older generation of Russians appeared to have "a lot of time and respect" for Russian president Vladimir Putin, and were more inclined to believe the country needed "a strong leader", he said.

Despite the invasion, which has seen fierce fighting in several Ukrainian cities, for the ordinary person it was “business as usual in Moscow” this week, Mr McEnaney said.

The biggest impact of the conflict on day-to-day life was the fact the rouble had “tanked” following severe financial sanctions, he said.

No support

Among Russians he spoke to, there was no groundswell of support to bring Kyiv under the control of the Kremlin. "I haven't heard anybody saying Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, and we want it back," he said.

He added that he had heard some commentary from locals expressing fears Ukraine was becoming a "cog" in an eastern expansion of Nato.

In the tense weeks leading up to the violence, when Russia was amassing troops along the Ukrainian border, there was little discussion or debate of any possible invasion among people in Moscow, he said.

Robert Kelly (54), originally from Blanchardstown, west Dublin, has lived in Russia for 30 years and said he was "shocked" by the decision to attack Ukraine.

While out walking his dog in Moscow on Tuesday, he described the public mood as “relatively calm”. This may change in the coming weeks when the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy begin to be felt by ordinary people, he said.

Mr Kelly, who works in food imports, said it was effectively "impossible" for him to fly out of the country now, even if he wanted to, as much of Europe had closed its airspace to Russia.

Ambassador’s warning

Brian McElduff, Irish Ambassador to Russia, has recommended that Irish citizens living in or visiting Russia who wished to leave should do so “as quickly as possible”.

In a recent email to Irish residents in Russia, seen by The Irish Times, Mr McElduff said the Department of Foreign Affairs was recommending against travel to Russia, given the “rapidly deteriorating flight and transport options”, as well as “banking difficulties due to sanctions”.

Mr McElduff said he understood many of the Irish community there were “settled” with family in the country, and may have “the resources and contacts to assist them in this difficult period”.

The Ambassador said the “decision on whether to depart is for each individual to make, bearing in mind their own circumstances”.