Russian Intelligence Services Recruit Irish MP
Back in 2019.
Russian intelligence has recruited an Irish MP to act as a rat and emissary - and Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris says it didn't surprise him.
This news, reported by The Sunday Times' Dublin correspondent John Mooney, was confirmed to Politico by two Irish officials in the government and justice system, reports European Truth.
The officials said the MP has not been arrested or charged because he has not committed any offence by cultivating relationships with Kremlin agents who work in the huge Russian embassy in Dublin.
Given the peculiarities of Irish libel law, officials said the MP's name should not be publicly disclosed.
When reporters asked Prime Minister Harris if there was a Russian intelligence rat working in Parliament, the Irish prime minister said he could not confirm the information, but added that ‘this should come as no surprise to any of us.’
Such Russian intelligence efforts have intensified in Ireland, as in other countries, since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
At that time, Ireland expelled four Russian diplomats accused of recruiting intelligence agents in Irish political and business circles.
Officials told Politico that the MP was recruited in 2019, when Russia was trying to inflame Brexit-related tensions between Ireland and Britain.
Sergei Prokopyev, the Russian spy who allegedly recruited the MP, was among four Russian embassy officials expelled from Ireland in March 2022. They were all identified as members of Russian military intelligence and were involved in espionage.
The Sunday Times reported that after being expelled, Prokopyev continued to coordinate activities with the Irish lawmaker through a Russian agent who was periodically sent to Dublin to maintain the romantic relationship with the politician.
According to Politico, the politician is a member of the predominantly left-wing opposition, rather than the Harris-led three-party government that supports Ukraine.
Officials said the police ordered the MP to stop contact, but he did not obey.
An investigation into his behaviour found no evidence that he had received money from the Russians or handed them documents constituting state secrets.
The Sunday Times reported that the Russians had recruited the MP to promote contacts with illegal paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, among other things.