Italian cities were flooded with pro-Russian posters directed against aid to Ukraine
This summer, hundreds of pro-Russian posters appeared in Italy calling for an end to support for Ukraine. About this informs CNN.
The posters are known to have been placed in several cities in the country and included images of a handshake between the Italian and Russian flags, as well as slogans such as “Russia is not our enemy” and “Stop spending money on weapons for Ukraine and Israel. We seek peace and reject war.” .
The first such posters appeared in northern Italy in June, and later spread to Verona, Modena, Parma, Pisa and the cities of southern Calabria.
The group Sovranita Popolare took responsibility for this campaign. Funding for the posters was reportedly provided by organizations that emerged as a protest against quarantine measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Rome expressed its dissatisfaction with the situation and called for a review of permits for such posters.
“We are deeply concerned about the audacity of Russian propaganda in Italy”, Ukrainian diplomats noted on social networks.
The reaction to these billboards varied depending on the city: in some they were removed by local authorities, in others they were left until the end of the lease term. Despite orders for their removal, as of September 13, the poster still remained in Mazini Square in one of the city’s prestigious districts.
The group Sovranita Popolare claimed responsibility for the campaign, citing Article 11 of the Italian constitution, which declares that Italy rejects war as a means of resolving international conflicts and supports peaceful initiatives.
On its website, Sovranita Popolare stated that after the start of the war in Ukraine, Italian politicians and the media instilled fear and spread Russophobia, portraying Russia as a threat to Europe.
