Taoiseach Micheál Martin has criticised a “sinister, intimidatory” simulation of a nuclear attack on Ireland broadcast on Russian state television.
The mocked-up clips, which show nuclear weapons obliterating Ireland in response to the UK’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, have been condemned across the Irish Government.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, Mr Martin called for an apology from those behind the footage.
“It’s very sinister, intimidatory-type tactics by the Russian Federation, but I don’t think anyone is going to be intimidated by it,” he said.
“I think it reflects a mindset that is worrying and not in touch with reality, and I think there should be an apology forthcoming in relation to that.”
Earlier, Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan described the simulated images as "shocking" and "unacceptable".
The Green Party leader said Irish diplomats in Moscow would respond, but also expressed concern that May 9th, the anniversary of the end of World War Two, could lead to a “step-up” in “warmongering” by Russia.
It's Sunday night in Russia which means that state TV's Dmitry Kiselyov is talking about Russia using its nukes
This time, with the help of a terrifying cartoon, he claims that "one Sarmat missile is enough to sink the British Isles" (with subs) pic.twitter.com/NqbQfkm6rX— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 1, 2022
The clips were broadcast by the state-owned television channel Russia-1, which is the most widely-watched television channel in Russia.
They were introduced by Dmitry Kiselyov, a close associate of Russian president Vladimir Putin who is perceived as a propagandist for the Kremlin.
Ireland is not mentioned directly in either of the two clips. In one segment, Mr Kiselyov speaks of an attack on the “British Isles” as footage plays of the islands of Ireland and Britain being wiped off the map by a nuclear weapon.
“It actually seems like they’re raving on the British Isles,” Mr Kiselyov says, after baselessly claiming UK prime minister Boris Johnson had threatened a nuclear strike on Russia.
“Why threaten never-ending Russia when you’re on an island which is, you know, is so small?” he says, according to a translation from journalist Francis Scarr, who monitors Russian media for the BBC.
“The island is so small that just one Sarmat missile is sufficient to sink it once and for all. Everything has been calculated already,” he claims, as a graphic shows a blast erasing Ireland and Britain from the map.
And another nuclear threat to the UK from Russian state TV's Dmitry Kiselyov:
He says his country's Poseidon nuclear underwater drone could cause a tsunami that would "plunge the British Isles into the depths of the sea" and turn them into a "radioactive desert" (with subs) pic.twitter.com/usElgqHeIG— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 1, 2022
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In a second segment, Mr Kiselyov talks of using a Poseidon nuclear underwater drone, an experimental Russian weapon, to “plunge the British Isles into the depths of the sea”.
A computer graphic shows the missile exploding off the northeast coast of Co Donegal, setting off a tidal wave that wipes both islands from the map.
The radiation from the blast will turn whatever is left of the British Isles into a “radioactive desert”, he concludes.
