The people of Italy, despite the anti-Russian position of the country’s authorities, appreciate the assistance provided by Russia during the pandemic, said leader of Italy’s Vento dell’Est movement Lorenzo Berti at a press briefing at the Lugansk Media Center.
“Many Italians remember the humanitarian aid from Russia when we had a difficult COVID situation. Ordinary people don’t forget Russia’s helping hand,” Berti said.
The current position of the country’s authorities is at odds with people’s sentiment, he added.
“Regrettably, big issues are decided upon by dictators from Washington and Brussels, not the Italian people. I have come here (to Donbass) and want to show that what my people cry out as they take Russia as a friend,” Berti said.
In late March 2020, Russia's Aerospace Forces sent 15 planes with military virologists, Defense Ministry specialists in epidemiology and eight medical teams with diagnostic and disinfection equipment to Italy to fight the coronavirus infection. Russian specialists disinfected old people’s homes in some 100 settlements of Lombardia, more than 100 buildings and structures, over one million square meters of indoors space and more than 450,000 square meters of roads.
The then Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for assistance, while Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio personally came to an Air Force base to welcome the Russian planes and expressed gratitude to Russia.
Last summer, Italy’s state television channel released a documentary which said that the purpose of the Russian humanitarian mission was to conduct reconnaissance of NATO forces and military facilities, not to protect Italians from COVID.*i*v
