Yesterday it was widely reported by the Irish media that an armoured vehicle was found flying the Russian flag at Galway Docks by staff from the Port of Galway.
The owner of the vehicle, Sam Field-Corbett, reportedly told RTÉ that a Russian flag had been left “among the paraphernalia on board the vehicle” and had been “was erected by one of those involved in moving” the vehicle.
However, Gript can reveal that the vehicle – an OT-64 – originated from Czechia (formerly The Czech Republic) and was sold by Czech company Mortar Investments, who told us the flag inside was Czechian rather than Russian as had been reported. This makes sense given that the vehicle is itself originally of Polish and Czechoslovakian design, and is marked with a Czech roundel on its left side.
RTÉ reported that the allegedly Russian flag had been covered with plastic before the vehicle was covered in plastic sheeting and a fence erected around it after claims that the flag had caused upset to Ukrainian refugees in the area.
Gript was unable to find any images showing a Russian flag being flown on the vehicle.
It would appear that there may have been some confusion as to what flag was indeed flown perhaps due to the similar appearance of the Russian and Czechian flags as demonstrated below.
Labour Party Councillor Níall McNelis said he was alerted to the alleged flying of the Russian flag by Ukrainian refugees who were upset by its presence which he said was “grotesque and offensive” to people fleeing the Russia – Ukraine conflict.
Business man Sam Corbett told RTÊ that he purchased the OT-64 with the intention to use it as part of an escape room.
Corbett told Gript that he didn’t see the flag himself but that one of ‘the lads’ had put it up and there appears to have been an assumption that it was a Dutch flag.
We contacted the RTÉ Correspondent who covered the story asking how it was confirmed that the flag flown on the vehicle was Russian however at the time of publication we are yet to receive a response – while it is possible that the flag was indeed Russian this seems somewhat unlikely.