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Russian military exercise off Irish coast a 'threat to whales'

Getty Images Russian ships take part in exercises in the Baltic Sea in October 2021Getty Images
Russian ships take part in exercises in the Baltic Sea in October 2021

Russia's plans to host naval exercises off Ireland's coast are a threat to rare marine wildlife, the country's ambassador in Dublin has been warned.

In a letter to Yury Filatov, Irish junior minister Malcolm Noonan said the planned military exercises are "deeply concerning".

Mr Noonan said the impact on a number of species could be "devastating".

The naval exercises are due to take place about 240km (150 miles) off the south-west coast of Ireland next month.

Mr Noonan said while the exact nature of the planned exercises is unknown, underwater sounds such as military sonar "can have devastating consequences" for a number of species, including sperm, beaked and "the deep-diving and rarely-seen blue whale".

The Republic of Ireland's defence minister, Simon Coveney, has said the live-fire exercise was "not welcome", but the country had no power to stop it.

M.Collins/BAS South Georgia Whale Project Blue whaleM.Collins/BAS South Georgia Whale Project
Blue whales - the largest animals on Earth - are rarely seen.

Sonar can cause significant disruption to the mammals' hearing and can "lead to permanent or even lethal injury," Mr Noonan added.

He has also written to Mr Coveney, who holds both the Irish foreign and defence ministerial briefs, expressing his concerns.

The proposed exercise also comes amid rising tensions over a build-up of Russia's military forces on the Ukraine border.

A map of Ireland and its surrounding seas, showing the planned location off the south-west coast

A group of Irish fishermen also said on Tuesday that they plan to peacefully disrupt Russia's military exercise.

"This is a very important ground where fish come to spawn... and we don't know what's going on out here," Patrick Murphy, chief executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation (IS&WFPO) said.

"We should be entitled to go fishing there, and if we're fishing there then these boats, these warships, shouldn't be having war games."

Rte Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yury FilatovRte
Mr Filatov said the exercise posed no threat

On Monday Mr Filatov described the controversy as "hugely overblown".

He said the planned exercises by Russian naval vessels was "not in any way a threat to Ireland or anybody else" and that no harm was intended by it.

Mr Filatov said three or four ships would be involved, but he did not know if missiles or submarines would be used.

He said: "There is nothing to be disturbed, concerned or anguished about and I have extensively explained that to our Irish colleagues."

Mr Filatov also said the exercise was a "non-story" which has become part of a "propaganda campaign" about an alleged Russian threat to Europe.