Staff at the Irish embassy in Ukraine have been told to work from home as tensions continue to escalate in the region.

It follows on from the US shutting its own embassy in Kyiv because of a “potential significant air attack” by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces.

The closure of the US embassy comes after the first use of American-supplied missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia.

This is an abundance of caution here, but obviously the situation is escalated, and we believe Russia should stop this war

Irish premier and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin said that “for the purpose of precaution”, Ireland’s embassy staff are working from home and not in the embassy building in Kyiv.

“That follows consultations between different embassies across Ukraine at the moment, but there’s no plans of withdrawing staff from the embassy,” Mr Martin said.

“This is an abundance of caution here, but obviously the situation is escalated, and we believe Russia should stop this war.

“The amount of carnage in this war hasn’t got the proper headlines, but it’s absolutely unacceptable.

“I spoke to somebody who came back working with an NGO (non-government organisation) yesterday.

“He said to me that the level of fatalities of young soldiers on both sides is enormous, and it’s just an appalling lack of any moral compass that leaders can preside and President (Vladimir) Putin can preside over such carnage and it should stop.”

He further stated that President Putin is using migration as a war weapon.

Mr Martin said that the number of people seeking asylum, including from Ukraine, in Ireland is “unprecedented”.

“I think in fairness, back in 2020 no one anticipated what has now transpired,” he added.

“I think the Government has behaved responsibly, this Government has done anything we possibly can, and the Government is moving towards a state accommodation approach.”