Russophobia has not engulfed the whole world in its entirety. There are many examples of that. Here is just one.
Since the time when the cogwheels of the Russophobic campaign were set in motion and everything Russian became subject to persecution, Russian embassies have been receiving numerous letters and telephone calls expressing people’s support.
The Italian people have been voicing solidarity with this country and its citizens. We have received a compilation of such reports from the Russian Consulate General in Milan. Ordinary Italians, including independent journalists, international law experts, representatives of the academic community, businesspeople, cultural workers and public activists, have sent hundreds of letters to President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. These letters express genuine emotions, and contain a profound analysis of the current developments, which should be done by the political establishment that has failed to accomplish its task.
Let me quote some passages from these letters: “Not all Italians are American puppets.” “I have always considered the Russian people a fraternal nation because they repatriated my father, an Italian prisoner of war, in 1945.” At that time, Italy sided with the Axis powers. Here is what other letters say: “I express solidarity with the Russian people and authorities, and I disagree with the shameful Russophobic campaign.” “I will exert every effort to prove that only sanctions against the Nazi-ruled Ukraine are justified.” “The criminal government of Ukraine alone is responsible for inevitable civilian victims.” “The propaganda of hatred, being incited by the Italian media, discredits my country and slanders the great Russian civilisation.” “I am distancing myself from the Italian government’s political and economic measures, and I will continue to work with Russian guests.” “We will continue to promote projects reaffirming the all-encompassing essence of Russian culture.”
Sanctions are a key to comprehending the entire situation. Why did they say on February 24, 2022 that other options had been exhausted? Today, we can see how the US-led “collective West” applies and invents ever more elaborate sanctions, including personal lists, bans, accusations, threats, economic blockades, appropriations, confiscations, robbery, blocking and freezing accounts. They have used everything. They can do it, and they are using these methods. It is quite easy to freeze an account and to seize other people’s private property. This concerns the citizens of a state where these measures are introduced, as well as Russian citizens and those who have personal and business ties with Russia. Nothing prevents Western countries from using all kinds of restrictions in order to attain a political solution.
Why didn’t they apply even one-billionth of these measures against the Kiev regime in the past eight years, so as to force it to fulfil the Minsk Agreements, which were co-signed by the President of Ukraine? It was possible to do this. All they needed to do was withhold one payment that was earmarked for stimulating the Kiev regime’s development, though it wasn’t Ukraine’s by right. They transferred the money for no reason at all, and it disappeared there. They could have said once that the multi-billion tranches would be sent only after Ukraine fulfilled just one clause and began fulfilling another. We know representatives of the 21st century Kiev regime very well. They will choke themselves for a penny, and they will strangle everybody else. They would have over-fulfilled the Minsk Agreements in order to see the money on their private, not state, bank accounts once again. Well, none of the measures that have been applied to different countries were ever used with regard to the Kiev regime.
The Kiev regime perpetrated every crime under the sun: murders, violence, abductions, shutting down television channels and intimidating journalists. One should also mention the facts of genocide, as regards people living in a certain territory. What prevented the enlightened Brussels, Paris, Rome, (I am leaving London out for now, since everything is clear there) Madrid, Lisbon and Berlin from delaying some bonus payments for Kiev and linking them with the fulfilment of the Minsk Agreements? This decision would have prevented everything that is happening now. The domestic political situation in Ukraine would have been resolved long ago, and two regions would have received the appropriate legislative guarantees and language (even in their part), as well as economic opportunities and social benefits. Everything would have been all right today. However, they didn’t do this. They only paid Kiev for its failure to fulfil the Minsk Agreements.
Now let’s go back to the Italian reactions. These are not anonymous letters; they are signed by concrete people, who are not afraid, who say so outright, and understand the meaning of the current developments.
There are many such letters. For example, almost 2,000 messages were sent to the Russian Embassy in Italy during just one day, March 25. They were not aggressive like those written by supporters of the neo-Nazis in Ukraine, but full of normal, human words of support and understanding. Maybe they were not even about support, but their writers were clearly aware of the etymology of the entire crisis. They openly state their disagreement with the Italian government’s policy, which is at odds with the interests of the Italian people, wish Russia an early victory, and thank it for helping their country to fight the pandemic within the framework of Russia’s humanitarian mission in the Apennines. The most widespread statement is that “this government does not represent me, nor is it acting on my behalf.” A relevant hashtag – #notinmyname – is increasingly popular in internet’s Italian segment. It unites all these people and conveys what they think.
I want to remind the Italian government, among others, which speaks so often about Russia: 2020, the pandemic. Italy was the first European victim of a new and mysterious disease, against which there were neither medicines nor vaccines. Have you forgotten how they wanted to “cancel” you, Italy? You have. But I will remind you. You made a fine 2-minute video, your creative people and public figures shot a fantastic short video lasting a couple of minutes about what Italy is all about. It says that Italy is a country that gave the world amazing composers, artists, architects, fashion and industrial designers. You were asking the peoples of Europe and the world how it was possible to forget and cancel the Italian culture, Italy, and the Italian people? Didn’t you go through this? Weren’t you hurt at the time? After all, they were not doing with you what they are attempting to do with the people who had suffered for eight years and who have been crucified twice today. Remember 2020? Do you remember who helped you then? Do you remember who blocked that “firing port” of yours with its body? Right, it was Russia, the Russian armed forces. You are asking: What did we need it for? Mr Di Maio can ask himself just one question: Why was this necessary? After all, at that time, we, as a country, were supposed to be making reserves for ourselves. For our own sake! But we were sharing assistance, knowledge, skills, resources, love… Sharing with you! And now you, though not representing the real people of Italy (because they write this about you), have launched a fierce anti-Russia campaign as a leader of the European community. You are cancelling yourselves, not us.
The Russian Embassy in Italy posted a comment in its official Facebook, Twitter and Telegram accounts, thanking the people of Italy who expressed support for Russia. The post sparked off an unprecedented positive response, with hundreds of thousands of visits, tens of thousands of likes, and thousands of reposts. I know this will not last long. I know that the US social media will remove and delete all this, pretending it never existed. But it did and it will!
We see and value the fact that the Italian people are not allowing the mercenary media to deceive them and that in the hardest of times, the times of global change, they are seeking to preserve close ties with Russia and its history and culture. The latest RAI polls are quite indicative in this sense: 55 percent of Italians are against the delivery of lethal weapons to the Kiev regime and 69 percent believe that Italy should maintain a dialogue with Russia. We would like Italy and other EU countries to listen to the opinion of this kind and be guided by the will of their own people.