Taoiseach deems drones ‘not a threat’ to Zelensky aircraft

Drones which were seen near Dublin Airport on the night the Ukrainian president arrived were “not a threat” to the leader’s aeroplane, as landed some time prior to the incident, the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) has said.

However Micheál Martin told the Dáil (Irish Parliament) that the incident was “very concerning”.

Volodymyr Zelensky flew into Dublin last week for a one-day official visit with his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska.

On the day of the visit, crew on board the Irish naval vessel, the LÉ William Butler Yeats, spotted several unidentified drones flying near Howth, over the Irish Sea.

Martin said the drones identified over Dublin Bay were “suggestive of being part of an ongoing Russian inspired hybrid campaign against European and Ukrainian interests”.

“A small number of unidentified drones were observed in the vicinity of a naval service vessel on patrol off the coast of Dublin,” the Taoiseach said.

“The drones were not a threat to President Zelensky’s aircraft because it had landed quite some time prior to this incident. They were not a threat either to his departure.”

The Irish prime minister added that an operational response was put in place by the commander of the naval vehicle whose crew spotted the drones, and subsequently by the police and military authorities.

“It is a very concerning incident. Like other similar incidents in other European states,” he added.

Martin added that the security operation during President Zelensky’s visit to Ireland had been “effective”.