Russia travel ban on 52 Irish politicians dismissed as ‘mind games’

Russia’s travel ban on 52 politicians was dismissed as “mind games” and “a classic diversion propaganda move” as it emerged Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael accounted for most of the names on the list.

The list of those barred from entering the Russian Federation contained the names of 33 Fianna Fáil politicians, 16 from Fine Gael, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell and Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl (who is a Fianna Fáil member), sources confirmed to The Irish Times.

No members of the third Coalition party, the Greens, or Sinn Féin have been banned.

Moscow said it banned the politicians for the “anti-Russian course of the Irish Government” arising from its support of EU sanctions aimed at “attempts to isolate” Russia internationally.

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[ Zelenskiy: Russia’s sanctioning of 52 Irish politicians an empty propaganda gesture ]

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, replying to questions from the media, agreed it was unusual that Mr Ó Fearghaíl was on the list but Seanad Cathaoirleach Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly, was not when both had visited Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in May.

“The overall picture really is that this is a classic diversion propaganda move by the Russian government and we shouldn’t be deflected from it,” said Mr Martin.

“Our focus has to be on solidarity with the people of Ukraine and also maintaining pressure on Russia in the international arena to stop this war.”

On Wednesday, Russia’s foreign ministry said it had put 52 Irish politicians on a “stop list” barring them entering the country.

The full list emerged on Friday after Russia’s ambassador Yuriy Filatov handed over the names to the Department of Foreign Affairs after it called him into the department on Thursday.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the Russian ban was a “very unwelcome distraction” and an effort by Russia to “unsettle” the State and the Irish political system.

“We shouldn’t be playing that game. The role that Ireland needs to play is to focus on where the real war is taking place, where women and children are being brutalised across Ukraine through the night by rockets sent from Russia,” he said.

Mr Coveney said he planned to brief leaders of the Opposition parties over the coming days on the current scale of Russia’s presence at the embassy in Dublin.

Another notable omission from the list was Independent TD Cathal Berry, a sharp critic of Russia who has called for Ireland to send unused Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.

He attributed Moscow’s move to the Russian military tactic of “maskirovka” or deception aimed at attempting to confuse and “knock opponents off balance”.

“It is all just mind games. It is all just a charade. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was an administrative mistake,” he said when asked was he surprised he was not on the list.

“It doesn’t matter. We didn’t plan to go on a family Christmas shopping trip to downtown Moscow.”