Former British Army officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon has identified Ireland as the weakest point in Europe’s defenses against Russian aggression, citing minimal defense spending and critical infrastructure vulnerabilitiesPUTINIreland has been named as the most vulnerable EU nation to Russia’s aggression(Image: RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFIC)

A former Army officer and defense commentator has pinpointed the EU nation he considers Europe’s most vulnerable point against Russian aggression.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon OBE, who spent 23 years in the British Army, views the Republic of Ireland—renowned for its century-long neutrality—as an “open goal” for Moscow.

The nation’s left-wing President Catherine Connolly notably proclaimed last year before her electoral triumph that “Ireland will never be able to have an army. We do not need an army,” reports Daily Express US.

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According to de Bretton-Gordon, it’s the nation’s neutral stance and its leadership’s perspective on defense requirements that render the country Europe’s vulnerable spot.

He informed the Daily Mail: “Ireland has nothing to protect itself.”

Bretton-Gordon explained: “It is absolutely the soft underbelly [of Europe]. It is virtually an open goal and if Ireland doesn’t realize it is in Russian crosshairs, then it needs to do so pretty quickly.”

The nation has infamously allocated minimal resources to defense, with yearly expenditures of approximately 0.2-0.3% placing it among Europe’s lowest military investors.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian conflict and escalated Russian military activity in European waters and airspace have prompted the country to pledge enhanced self-protection measures.

Ireland may be on Russia’s radar, says expert

This year brought announcements that Ireland would commit to boosting defense expenditure to $2 billion by decade’s end—an amount comparable to Malta’s military budget. Despite its neutral stance, there’s growing concern that Ireland could be in Russia’s crosshairs due to its EU membership and close cultural ties with the UK.

Moreover, as a non-NATO country, it wouldn’t automatically receive military protection from Europe’s major powers.

Naval incursions by the Russian Yantar have drawn into focus the threat posed by MoscowNaval incursions by the Russian Yantar have drawn into focus the threat posed by Moscow(Image: Getty)Ireland’s army is more about peacekeeping vs. defense

Russian spy ships have frequently been spotted within Irish territorial waters, raising alarm bells given that 75% of northern hemisphere telecommunications cables pass through or near Ireland’s exclusive economic zone.

In response, Ireland is likely to ramp up its defense spending, potentially investing in several towed array sonar systems from Thales. These purchases, worth tens of millions of pounds, aim to bolster the defenses of its four offshore patrol vessels, two large patrol vessels, and two inshore patrol vessels.