Irish police investigating drone activity during Ukrainian president’s visit

An Garda Síochána (Irish police power) has launched an investigation after drones were detected in Irish skies on the evening the Ukrainian president arrived in Eire.

Volodymyr Zelensky flew into Dublin late on Monday evening for a one-day official visit with his wife, First Girl Olena Zelenska.

Senior Irish authorities figures, together with Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin, have been briefed on the difficulty. Martin confirmed it will be mentioned at a Nationwide Safety Council assembly later this month.

In a press release, gardaí mentioned its Particular Detective Unit (SDU) is investigating the matter and shall be liaising with the Defence Forces and worldwide safety companions.

In a statement on Thursday, the Irish Defence Forces mentioned it had no touch upon “the specifics of any alleged incidents”.

On Monday, crew on board the Irish naval vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats noticed a number of unidentified drones flying close to Howth, over the Irish Sea, across the identical time Zelensky arrived in Dublin Airport, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.

Talking throughout a gathering of the British-Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff, the taoiseach mentioned the Ukrainian president’s go to went nicely, and the safety dimension went “significantly nicely”.

Whereas Martin mentioned he didn’t wish to touch upon safety issues, he mentioned a evaluate would now happen and it’ll embody drones.

“It has been a function now throughout Europe in more moderen instances the emergence of drones within the airspace of different colleagues within the European Union member states and we liaise and… we share expertise,” he added.

“Suffice to say that for the reason that onset of the Ukrainian struggle there’s been heightened exercise on the cyber safety entrance, by way of maritime points and by way of drones.”

Requested if this recommended Russia’s involvement within the drone exercise, the taoiseach responded: “I am not going to make any remark till we have now a full evaluate.”