Ukrainians in Ireland have accused sections of the country’s Russian population of targeting them with abuse and calling them Nazis.
Accusations that Russians have hurled insults at peaceful anti-war protests by members of the Ukrainian community were made by the
told the Irish Mirror: “Some Russians are coming to out protests, shouting at us, calling us names like Nazis, telling us that the war is right.
“There is a lot worse online. It makes us wonder what level of support there is amongst Russians in Ireland for the war.
“Everyone knows who has and who hasn’t spoken out. I would like to hear from the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church in Harolds Cross in Dublin.
“Do they think the war is right? Do they think it is justified for Russians to target our protests? Are they afraid to speak out?”
He added: “There are many Russians who have been meeting at the GPO on O’Connell Street in Dublin to protest with us against the war.
“That is fantastic and we appreciate the support, but we are getting evidence that there is a number who back the war.
“It would be nice to see the Russian community in Ireland condemn the war and support Ukraine.”
A spokesperson for the Russian Orthodox Church in Harold's Cross told the Irish Mirror: “The situation is very painful for everyone.
“We have Ukrainian people in our church community and we are against the war, definitely.”
The Association of Ukrainians in Ireland received reports of “altercations” at an anti-war protest in Carrick on Shannon last weekend.
The Russian Orthodox Church spokesperson responded: “We have not heard about this abuse like this, but maybe the people [the abusers] are not Russian.
“It could be someone from another country who is speaking Russian.
“We do know that Russian-speaking children, especially in schools, are being [verbally] abused [due to the war].
“They are not Putin, they are Irish children, who were born in Ireland, and are just speaking Russian”
He added: “It is not fair. We have no problem with the Ukrainian community. We pray together and we want the war to stop. It is very bad.”
